New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver
STATE News:
SANTA FE – New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has announced that she will extend the public comment period on her proposed campaign finance rule, which is intended to provide much needed guidance regarding New Mexico’s Campaign Reporting Act (CRA).
The new deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19 to submit written comments by mail, email or fax.
“With the public hearings upon us, I want to give New Mexicans as much time as possible to provide official comment on this proposed rule,” Toulouse Oliver said. “I encourage all New Mexicans to actively engage in this rulemaking process and to make their voices heard.”
Interested individuals may submit official comment by sending them to State Elections Director Kari Fresquez:
- 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 final rule will ultimately help candidates, elected officials and political committees, covered under the CRA, comply with campaign finance disclosure and reporting requirements.
Oliver will hold three public hearings on the draft rule:
Santa Fe
- Thursday, July 13, 2017, 9 a.m. to noon
- State Capitol Building
- 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 321
- Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Live-streamed on the Secretary of State’s website at https:////www.sos.state.nm.us/
Albuquerque
- Tuesday, July 18, 2017, 9 a.m. to noon
- 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 a.m. to noon
- Doña Ana County Government Center
- 845 N. Motel Boulevard
- Las Cruces, NM 88007
- Live-streamed on the Secretary of State’s website at https:////www.sos.state.nm.us/
The Santa Fe and Las Cruces public hearings will be live-streamed on the Secretary of State’s website at https:////www.sos.state.nm.us/.
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 21st century campaign finance system, and with this rule I’m pushing to make that a reality,” Toulouse Oliver said. “This rule will provide 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.
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.
The final rule is expected to be completed this fall with an October effective date.
