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New Mexico Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver Releases Draft Campaign Finance Rule

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver

Commentary: SANTA FE – New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver today released a draft campaign finance rule intended to provide much needed guidance regarding New Mexico’s Campaign Reporting Act (CRA). The final rule will ultimately help candidates, elected officials and political committees covered under the CRA comply with campaign finance disclosure and reporting requirements. Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver announced following the 2017 legislative session that she would utilize the rulemaking authority granted to her in New Mexico law to provide the necessary reforms before the next statewide election.

“New Mexicans expect and deserve a modern, efficient twenty-first century campaign finance system, and with this rule I’m pushing to make that a reality,” said Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver.  “This rule will provided much needed clarity and guidance to help candidates, elected officials, and political committees comply with the law.”

The draft rule provides guidance on how to more fully and accurately disclose campaign finance information in order to increase transparency to the public.  The rule also defines the terms “coordinated expenditures” and “independent expenditures” and provides reporting guidance on these types of campaign expenditures. 

“I hope interested New Mexicans will actively engage in this rulemaking process, and provide official comment to help us make this rule as comprehensive and all-encompassing as we can,” said Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver. 

Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver will hold three public hearings on the draft rule:

Santa Fe

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 9:00am-12:00pm

State Capitol Building

491 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 321

Santa Fe, NM 87501

Albuquerque

Tuesday, July 18, 2017, 9:00am-12:00pm

Vincent E. Griego Chambers of the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center

Concourse Level 2

One Civic Plaza NW

Albuquerque, NM 87201

Las Cruces

Wednesday, July 19, 2017, 9:00am-12:00pm

Doña Ana County Government Center

845 N. Motel Boulevard

Las Cruces, NM 88007

Click here for a copy of the draft rule.  All New Mexicans are invited to participate in the public hearings and to provide official comment, and all hearings are open to the media.

Interested individuals may submit official comment by sending them to Kari Fresquez, State Elections Director:

·         By Mail – Attn: Kari Fresquez–Proposed Rule, Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State, 325 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM 87501;   

·         By Email – Attn: Kari Fresquez–Proposed Rule,sos.rules@state.nm.us; or,

·         By Fax – Attn: Kari Fresquez–Proposed Rule, (505) 827-8081.

The deadline to submit written comments by mail, email or fax is 5:00pm onTuesday, July 12, 2017.  Written comments may also be submitted in person at any of the three public hearings.

Following the 2017 New Mexico legislative session, Governor Martinez vetoed Senate Bill 96, which would have provided needed clarity to New Mexico’s campaign finance system.  SB 96 would have required disclosure of independent expenditures made before a primary and general election, it would have added language regarding disclosure on printed campaign literature, and it would have provided clarifying definitions to aid candidates on the campaign finance limitations and reporting requirements.  The draft rule released by Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver today tackles these issues.

The final rule is expected to be completed this fall with an October 2017 effective date.