ALL SIX of CCNM’s priority bills were signed into law!

Last Friday, April 5th was the final day for bill signing here in New Mexico — and thanks to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and her tenacious leadership, ALL of our priority bills for the session have been signed into law.

Take a minute to thank Governor Lujan Grisham for her strong support of our priority bills — and for championing the fight for a better democracy!

Here’s what’s been SIGNED…

SB 3, Campaign Finance Reporting (sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth)

This law will help to shine a light on “dark money” through increased disclosure requirements for donors to political campaigns and define requirements for independent expenditure reporting in our elections.

SB 4, Campaign Public Financing Changes (sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth)

This law extends the qualifying period for candidates for the Public Regulation Commission and statewide judicial offices, which helps allow candidates to qualify for the program — as well as restricts how public funds may be used by the candidate’s campaigns (i.e. not to pay immediate family members for campaign duties).

SB 668, State Ethics Commission Act (sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart, Rep. Daymon Ely and Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto)

This law will provide our state’s new Independent Ethics Commission with the policy guidelines and authority necessary for its process and operations. The legislation establishes an efficient and transparent process for this Commission to provide a “one-stop-shop” for the public to file complaints when they have a concern about our government.

SB 672, Automatic & Same-Day Voter Registration (Sponsored by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto and Rep. Daymon Ely)

This bill automatically registers eligible citizens to vote while renewing or getting their driver’s license at the MVD, unless they decline — a process that has already been done through administrative rules by the NM Secretary of State for several years. Additionally, this bill allows eligible individuals to register to vote on Election Day at most voting registration sites and polling locations around the state.

HB 55, National Popular Vote (sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart and Rep. Gail Chasey)

This law enters New Mexico into a compact with 14 other jurisdictions and will put New Mexico’s electoral votes towards the presidential candidate who wins the majority of the national popular vote. This compact ensures that the presidential candidate who wins the most votes in the country, also wins the necessary total of 270 electoral votes, to be elected to the presidency.

These are just a few of the many good-governance reforms that were signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this session. We would also like to extend our HUGE thanks to the advocacy groups and their members who testified, called, and wrote their legislators to actively support these important reforms, including:

The League of Women Voters of NM, Retake Our Democracy, Ethics Watch, NM First, Equality NM, Ole, Working Families Party, Center for Civic Policy, New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics, Voices for Children, The Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Indivisible Nob Hill, Indivisible Corrales, NM Progress Now, and many others!

Please help us thank Gov. Lujan Grisham for her leadership and championing of restoring good governance to our Land of Enchantment — and ensuring a better democracy for everyone in our state!