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The Line: Lawmakers Struggle To Create Ethics Commission

March 15, 2019 – While some bills never get past committees during a legislative session, lawmakers this year were ready to do two things: pass a budget bill and create a voter-approved independent ethics commission. But there have been many amendments to both the House and Senate’s versions of the ethics commission bill and there are still many details to iron out before this year’s legislative session ends on Saturday, March 16. Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists discuss the bills and amendments, and look at the disconnect between getting voters to approve vague constitutional amendments and actually crafting the legislation.

Line Panelists:
Merritt Allen, owner and executive director, Vox Optima LLC
Dede Feldman, former NM State Senator
Tom Garrity, the Garrity Group PR
Sophie Martin, attorney 

For Further Reading:
Senate votes 40-0 to approve newly-drafted ethics commission bill – by Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal 

New Mexico Senate approves ethics commission– by Milan Simonich, Santa Fe New Mexican