The Line: Lawmakers Wrap Up 30-Day Legislative Session

February 16, 2018 – The primary focus of the 30-day legislative session is to pass a budget. Lawmakers did that this week and sent the bipartisan budget to Governor Martinez. Other bills, however, were introduced this session; some were successful and some never made it out of committee. Senators Sander Rue and Jeff Steinborn spoke with producer Sarah Gustavus at the Roundhouse about roadblocks to bills on government transparency. Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists weigh in on those and other bills, on the budget that passed, and on the general tone of the legislature this session.

Santa Fe New Mexican article by Andrew Oxford – Last-minute shuffles cement state budget deal

Transparency bills:

SB 54   – discloses use of discretionary money

SB 67   – requires reporting of 100 percent of lobbying expenditures

SB 83   – money for Sunshine Portal compliance

SB 88   – discloses money spent on legal settlements

SB 107 – beefs up lobbyist reporting

SB 173 – lobbyist “full disclosure”

HB 218 – determines what records not subject to Sunshine Portal