A. No lobbyist may serve as a campaign chair, treasurer or fundraising chair for a candidate for the legislature or other state office.
B. It is unlawful during the prohibited period for any lobbyist or lobbyist's employer to contribute to or act as an agent or intermediary for political contributions to or arrange for the making of political contributions to the campaign funds of any statewide elected official or legislator or any candidate for those offices.
C. For purposes of this section, "prohibited period" is that period beginning January 1 prior to any regular session of the legislature or, in the case of a special session, after the proclamation has been issued, and ending on:
(1) the day the session ends for:
(a) any statewide elected official or candidate for statewide office except the governor; and
(b) a legislator or any candidate for the legislature; and
(2) the twentieth day following the adjournment of the regular or special session for the governor or candidate for governor.
History: 1978 Comp., § 2-11-8.1, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 46, § 23; 1995, ch. 153, § 21; 2016, ch. 13, § 5.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2016 amendment, effective July 1, 2016, made gender-neutral amendments and other minor changes in language; in Subsection A, after "campaign", deleted "chairman" and added "chair", after "fundraising", deleted "chairman" and added "chair", and after "legislature or", deleted "a statewide" and added "other state".
The 1995 amendment, effective June 16, 1995, designated a portion of Subsection C as Paragraph (2), added "for the governor or candidate for governor" in that paragraph, and added Paragraph (1).
Contributions to candidates for federal office. — The prohibition against legislative session fund raising in Section 2-11-8.1 NMSA 1978 does not apply to contributions to candidates for federal office based on the doctrine of federal preemption and because Section 2-11-8.1 NMSA 1978 does not regulate contributions to candidates for federal office. 2007 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 07-01.