3-16-2023 7:57am

Representative John Block Opposes Campaign Finance Reform and Transparency

Chris Edwards Editor

The 2023 legislative session in New Mexico provided to opportunities for more reporting and shining additional lights on transparency in campaign contributions received and then reported to the public.

New Mexico Senate Bill 42 and New Mexico House Bill 103 each were created for additional reporting and transparency of money flowing to legislators.

Local Alamogordo Representative John Block proudly proclaimed victory in opposition of both measures, posting his opposition to SB 42 on his Twitter account and by voting no to HB 103.

SB 42 sought to simplify campaign reporting compliance for some elected officials and to provide more transparency on campaign finances. It is now dead and Mr Block celebrates.

Amended to include HB 103, bill presenter and HB 103 co-sponsor Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, said SB 42 was previously a disclosure bill. The addition of HB 103 adds a modernization effort to align campaign finance reporting with the modern election process.

“Senate Bill 42 requires out of state groups making independent expenditures of $5,000 or more to disclose the source of those funds. It requires disclosure on expenditures for electronic communications, which could be Facebook ads or digital ads, things like that. It prohibits loaning money by a candidate to the campaign committee at an interest rate,” McQueen said to the New Mexico Political Report as reported by Nicole Maxwell.

The HB 103 changes update the campaign reporting act to better reflect the election cycle, McQueen said.

“You would have a report due a week after the primary rather than waiting a couple months, you would have a report due a week after the general election. Rather than waiting until January and if you accepted money during the prohibited period, you would file a supplemental report at the end of the prohibited period disclosing that contribution,” McQueen said.

HB 103 was approved on a 48-21 vote and updates the campaign contribution and expenditure reports and adds an additional session supplemental reporting. This bill is still awaiting movement through the Senate Committees and is at risk of stalling out as well, ending hope of more campaign finance transparency from the New Mexico Round House.