An activist group whose aim is to get young people involved in politics is attacking a bill working its way through the House as a proposal that would benefit only “the corporations and the sleazebag lobbyists, whose single goal is to consolidate wealth and power for their rich friends.” House Bill 685, sponsored by Rep. Dan Silva, D-Albuquerque, is a lengthy bill titled the Administrative Accountability Act. The bill would create uniform requirements for rulemaking, adjudication and inspection performed by state agencies, according to the fiscal impact report, but it’s a few of the particulars that have the League of Young Voters upset. • The bill would require agencies to divulge names of people who report violations by companies the agencies regulate, unless prohibited by law. That, according to the bill’s fiscal impact report, “could have a deleterious affect on the health, safety and welfare of New Mexicans since potential whistleblowers may be deterred from coming forward because of fear of retaliation. This type of provision is not found in other state, federal or model administrative procedure acts.” • It would limit agencies’ ability to make rules and charge fees to only those areas where the Legislature has specifically granted such authority, which, according to the fiscal impact report, “could greatly reduce an agency’s ability to act” because some agencies have been given “very specific rulemaking” while others have been given only general authority. Continue Reading
