FORMER LEGISLATORS AS LOBBYISTS

SB0072

SENATE BILL 72

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Harold Pope

AN ACT

RELATING TO LOBBYING; PROHIBITING FORMER LEGISLATORS FROM
ACCEPTING COMPENSATION AS LOBBYISTS FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS
AFTER SERVICE AS A LEGISLATOR; PROHIBITING EMPLOYERS OF
LOBBYISTS FROM COMPENSATING FORMER LEGISLATORS AS LOBBYISTS FOR
A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER SERVICE AS A LEGISLATOR; REQUIRING
LOBBYISTS, WHEN REGISTERING, TO FILE A STATEMENT UNDER OATH
STATING WHETHER THE LOBBYIST SERVED AS A LEGISLATOR IN THE PAST
TWO YEARS; PROVIDING NOTICE TO A LOBBYIST'S EMPLOYER IF A
LOBBYIST HAS SERVED AS A LEGISLATOR IN THE PAST TWO YEARS;
PROVIDING A PENALTY.

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

SECTION 1.
A new section of the Lobbyist Regulation Act
is enacted to read:

"[
NEW MATERIAL
] RESTRICTION ON LOBBYING BY STATE
LEGISLATORS--PENALTY.--

A. A former state legislator shall not accept
compensation as a lobbyist for a period of two years after the
conclusion of the former state legislator's most recent term of
office.

B. A lobbyist's employer shall not compensate a
former state legislator as a lobbyist for a period of two years
after the conclusion of the former state legislator's most
recent term of office.

C. A person who violates a provision of this
section shall be subject to the penalties of the Lobbyist
Regulation Act."

SECTION 2.
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 fifty
dollars ($50.00) for each of the lobbyist's employers and by
filing a single registration statement under oath in an
electronic format as prescribed by the secretary of state that
states:

(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;
and

(3) whether the lobbyist has served as a state
legislator in the past two years
.

B. No registration fee shall be required of
individuals receiving only reimbursement of personal expenses
and no other compensation or salary for lobbying. Except as
required by Subsection D of Section 2-11-6 NMSA 1978, no
expenditure report 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 the lobbyist's
registration statement whether those circumstances apply to the
lobbyist.

C. Upon receipt of the online registration and
payment, the secretary of state shall publish the registration
information on the secretary of state's lobbying disclosure
website,
and for a lobbyist who indicated in the registration
statement that the lobbyist has served as a state legislator in
the past two years, the secretary of state shall notify the
lobbyist's employers
.

D. 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) an affirmation from each of the lobbyist's
employers authorizing 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 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.

E. 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
fifty-dollar ($50.00) filing fee for each of the lobbyist's
employers together with a short, abbreviated prescribed form for
renewal.

F. 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 using the electronic registration system
within one week 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 need be reported."

SECTION 3.
APPLICABILITY.--The provisions of this act
apply to all persons who hold the office of state legislator on
or after January 1, 2027.

SECTION 4.
EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is January 1, 2027.

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