The New Mexico state ethics commission opened on January 2.

The commission was created by a constitutional amendment passed in November 2018.

The seven member-structure was specified in a bill signed last March by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Former Judge William F. Lang was appointed by Lujan Grisham to be the commission’s first chairman.

The commission will issue advisory opinions regarding campaign finance, government contracts, and lobbying disclosure law and will investigate complaints of potential violations.

The alleged offense must have occurred after June of 2019, and all accusations will be confidential until the commission decides to hold a public hearing.

The commission has the authority to impose civil penalties and can recommend disciplinary action, including impeachment.

Senate Bill 3, relating to the Campaign Reporting Act, was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

The bill amends several provisions of campaign finance law, including definitions related to elections cycles, penalties for violating campaign finance law, and independent expenditure reporting.

The bill also requires a person making an independent expenditure in an amount exceeding $1,000 in non-statewide elections and $3,000 in statewide elections to file a report with the secretary of state within specified time periods.

The report must include the name and address of the person who made the independent expenditure, the name and address of the person to whom the independent expenditure was made, the amount, date and purposes of the independent expenditure, and the source of the contributions used to make the independent contribution.

Additionally, contributions to most candidates and political committees will be limited to $5,000 per election cycle unless those contributions are from a candidate’s own personal funds or made to a political committee and used only to make independent expenditures.

Contributions to gubernatorial candidates will be limited to two times the contribution limit during a primary or a general election cycle.

The bill will become effective on July 1, 2019.

Senate Bill 668, relating to the State Ethics Commission Act, was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

The bill creates the new independent ethics commission demanded by voters in the November 2018 election.

The new commission will oversee state public officials and employees and give the commission investigative powers over ethics violations.

Sections one through eight and 34 of the bill, relating to the creation of the new commission, will become effective July 1, 2019.

The remaining sections, mostly relating to the commission’s investigative powers, will become effective on January 1, 2020.

Senate Bill 191 was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on February 4, 2019.

The bill requires the disclosure of the cumulative total of all individual expenditures of less than $100 made or incurred by the employer or lobbyist during the covered reporting period.

The expenditures must be separated into meals and beverages, other entertainment expenditures, and other expenditures.

The bill is effective July 1, 2019.

Senate Bill 191 is on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.

If signed, the bill will require the disclosure of the cumulative total of all individual expenditures of less than $100 made or incurred by the employer or lobbyist during the covered reporting period.

The expenditures must be separated into meals and beverages, other entertainment expenditures, and other expenditures.

Grisham has indicated she intends to sign the bill. Once signed, the bill will be effective July 1, 2019.

Democratic Congresswoman and former state health secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham won last night’s New Mexico gubernatorial election with 56.91 percent of the vote. Lujan Grisham became the first Democratic Latina governor, taking over a seat held by Republicans for two terms.

Lujan Grisham’s win will mark the first time a Democratic candidate has won the gubernatorial seat since 2002, according to Vox.

She focused her platform on an expansion of preschool education, lowering crime rates, economic expansion, and investments in solar and wind energy.

Lujan Grisham has an extensive political tenure—she is a three-term U.S. congresswoman currently serving New Mexico’s first district. Prior to her federal service, she served as cabinet secretary for three different New Mexico governors.

Upon taking office, her current U.S. seat will be filled by Debra Haaland.

A bill introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives intends to prohibit tax exemptions under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code for social welfare organizations engaged in political activity.

House Bill 2338, the 501(c)(4) Reform Act of 2017, amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit 501(c)(4) entities from participating in, or intervening in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign.

Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham introduced the legislation on May 3. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Ways and Means.