SENATE BILL 953

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Linda M. Lopez

AN ACT

RELATING TO LOBBYISTS; CHANGING FILING FEES FOR LOBBYISTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 2-11-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1977, Chapter 261, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

     "2-11-3. REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE FILED--CONTENTS--MODIFICATION TO STATEMENT.--

          A. In the month of January prior to each regular session or before any service covered by the Lobbyist Regulation Act commences, any individual who is initially employed or retained as a lobbyist shall register with the secretary of state by paying an annual filing fee of [twenty-five dollars ($25.00)] one hundred dollars ($100) for each of the lobbyist's employers and by filing a single registration statement under oath on a prescribed form showing:

                (1) the lobbyist's full name, permanent business address and business address while lobbying; and

                (2) the name and address of each of the lobbyist's employers.

          B. No registration fee shall be required of individuals receiving only reimbursement of personal expenses and no other compensation or salary for lobbying. No expenditure statement required by Section 2-11-6 NMSA 1978 shall be required if the lobbyist anticipates making or incurring and makes or incurs no expenditures or political contributions under Section 2-11-6 NMSA 1978. The lobbyist shall indicate in [his] the lobbyist's registration statement whether those circumstances apply to [him] the lobbyist.

          C. For each employer listed in Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of this section, the lobbyist shall file the following information:

                (1) a full disclosure of the sources of funds used for lobbying;

                (2) a written statement from each of the lobbyist's employers authorizing [him] the lobbyist to lobby on the employer's behalf;

                (3) a brief description of the matters in reference to which the service is to be rendered; and

                (4) the name and address of the person, if other than the lobbyist or [his] the lobbyist's employer, who will have custody of the accounts, bills, receipts, books, papers and documents required to be kept under the provisions of the Lobbyist Regulation Act.

          D. For each succeeding year that an individual is employed or retained as a lobbyist by the same employer, and for whom all the information disclosed in the initial registration statement remains substantially the same, the lobbyist shall file a simple annual registration renewal in January and pay the [twenty-five-dollar ($25.00)] one-hundred-dollar ($100) filing fee for each of the lobbyist's employers together with a short, abbreviated prescribed form for renewal.

          E. Whenever there is a modification of the facts required to be set forth by this section or there is a termination of the lobbyist's employment as a lobbyist before the end of the calendar year, the lobbyist shall notify the secretary of state within one month of such occurrence and shall furnish full information concerning the modification or termination. If the lobbyist's employment terminates at the end of a calendar year, no separate termination report need be filed."

     Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2007.

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