In Your State - New Mexico
WASHINGTON, December 13, 2001 — The Center interviewed ethics agency officials, scoured ethics agency Web sites and combed through pages of state statutes to conduct this survey of state ethics agencies. Below is a snapshot of answers for this state. See how this state ethics agency compares on staff and budget, oversight and enforcement power, among other topics surveyed. Find out what other type of ethics oversight this state has. Go to the methodology for an explanation of how the survey was conducted and what exact questions were asked.
Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey
New Mexico is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 8 of those states where any outside oversight for members of the legislature is lumped in with the responsibilities of the secretary of state or attorney general.
More Info
What, if any, ethics agency exists in the state?
New Mexico has an Ethics Administration in the Office of the Secretary of State.
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/ethics.htm
If the above agency does not oversee legislators, is legislative oversight
defined in statute?
No. However, New Mexico Statute s.10-16-11 requires the legislature to draft a
code of conduct.
http://198.187.128.12/newmexico/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=fs-main.htm&2.0
Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?
Yes. New Mexico Statute, Chapter 10, Article 16, "Government Conduct
Act" contains some provisions that apply to legislators.
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/PDF/gca1.pdf
When were the ethics statutes enacted?
1967
Where do legislators file outside interest disclosures?
New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State, Ethics Administration. See Info
Resources.
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/ethics.htm
Where do legislators file campaign finance disclosures?
New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State, Ethics Administration
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/ethics.htm
Where are lobbying disclosures filed?
New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State, Ethics Administration
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/ethics.htm
Note: Some information provided by the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws' "Ethics Update" 2000. For more information or to purchase the reference, visit www.cogel.org.