{"id":2026,"date":"2007-07-26T16:54:00","date_gmt":"2007-07-26T22:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/07\/task-force-considers-lobbyist-disclosure-proposals\/"},"modified":"2007-07-26T16:54:00","modified_gmt":"2007-07-26T22:54:00","slug":"task-force-considers-lobbyist-disclosure-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/07\/task-force-considers-lobbyist-disclosure-proposals\/","title":{"rendered":"Task force considers lobbyist disclosure proposals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The state Task Force on Ethics Reform<\/a> is considering a number of proposals designed to increase transparency in state government.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

In chairing the subcommittee proposing changes related to transparency, state Rep. Jeff Steinborn<\/a>, D-Las Cruces, has an opportunity to make an impact.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The subcommittee made several recommendations to the task force at Monday\u2019s meeting in Socorro:<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u2022 Improving the campaign finance reporting system on the Secretary of State\u2019s Web site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u2022 Requiring lobbyists to wear badges that identify them and disclose their client lists.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u2022 Requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they\u2019re being paid by their clients.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u2022 Forbidding former lawmakers from lobbying the Legislature during the first year after they leave office.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u2022 Opening legislative conference committees to the public.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Some of the issues \u2013 such as opening conference committees to the public \u2013 had overwhelming support from the group. The proposal to require lawmakers to take a one-year \u201ccooling-off period\u201d before becoming lobbyists also had widespread support, but the task force needs some clarification before it formally votes to recommend that to the governor.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Some proposals \u2013 most notably the other proposed requirements for lobbyists \u2013 were more controversial.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Some question need for lobbyist badges<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Steinborn said the proposed badge requirement is based on similar laws in other states. He told the task force it\u2019s important to \u201cbring as much sunshine to that de-facto branch of government as we do to us as legislators,\u201d and said badges would help lawmakers \u201cunderstand who they\u2019re talking to.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Steinborn suggested a requirement that lobbyists update their client lists and obtain new badges within 24-48 hours of taking on new clients, that they display them while they\u2019re working as lobbyists and that there be penalties for not doing so.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But Do\u00f1a Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley<\/a>, a task force member, asked how the rule would be practical for lobbyists who have dozens of clients, saying they would have to wear very large badges. And House Majority Leader Ken Martinez<\/a> said that, though Steinborn has had problems with a lobbyist hesitating to identify himself, he\u2019s \u201cnot sure it\u2019s as big a problem as it\u2019s perceived to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said most lawmakers know the lobbyists, and freshman like Steinborn learn who they are \u201cafter a few years.\u201d In addition, he said lobbyists, during the last 1\/3 of the session, already have to get badges from the speaker\u2019s office to enter the House area on the first floor of the Roundhouse, and they\u2019re not allowed on the floor during the session.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Another task force member suggested that a rule change, instead of a statutory change, could suffice, with the penalty being that lobbyists who don\u2019t comply are kicked out of the Roundhouse.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But Steinborn disagreed with both, saying sometimes lobbyists grab lawmakers in hallways and adding that new legislators and new lobbyists come on board all the time. He also said there\u2019s a public benefit to having lobbyists be identified.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Lobbyist pay disclosure proposal is controversial<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

On the issue of disclosure of how much lobbyists are paid, Think New Mexico<\/a> Director Fred Nathan said 18 states have enacted such laws. A bill that would require such disclosure in New Mexico<\/st1:state><\/st1:place> got nowhere in this year\u2019s session.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Several task force members said the proposal would help the public understand the efforts being put into approval or death of certain bills. But others compared the idea to voyeurism.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that there\u2019s a quasi-public role that they serve as lobbyists, but they\u2019re not elected officials,\u201d Martinez<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> said. \u201cThe invasion may be more harm than the solution that we\u2019re seeking.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Task force member Geno Zamora disagreed.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a sunshine issue and it\u2019s an issue of how much different interests\u2026 are dedicating toward specific legislation,\u201d he said. \u201cI think the public does have an interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Sen. John Ryan<\/a>, R-Albuquerque, argued that public disclosure might reveal a \u201chuge difference\u201d between what various lobbyists are paid and drive up lobbyist rates, actually inserting more money into the political system.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He said that would be counterproductive.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think this issue really solves any ethics kinds of things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Sen. Dede Feldman<\/a>, D-Albuquerque, said it was still important to consider the proposal.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t the public deserve to know if $500,000 is being spent against a certain issue and that there have been 36 lobbyists hired in the past week?\u201d she asked. \u201cThis is not voyeurism, I don\u2019t think. This is something that the public has a right to know about the process of laws being made.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The task force will take up these issues again at its next meeting to try to reach consensus. In the meantime, Steinborn\u2019s subcommittee will explore the issues further and bring additional information to the Aug. 7 meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The state Task Force on Ethics Reform is considering a number of proposals designed to increase transparency in state government. In chairing the subcommittee proposing changes related to transparency, state Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, has an opportunity to make an impact. The subcommittee made several recommendations to the task force at Monday\u2019s meeting in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}