Lobbyists Shirking Reporting Rules

Santa Fe New Mexican - Despite all the social events that have been taking place the past week since the Legislature began its 2011 session, most lobbyists have not filed required expense reporting within 48 hours. In fact, as of about 2 p.m. Wednesday, only one lobbyist had filed a report, the Secretary of State's Office said Wednesday. Tom Horan, representing Presbyterian Healthcare Services, estimated the company spent $17,400 for a "Legislative Appreciation Dinner" at La Posada last Thursday. Horan noted the final bill had not come in, so the figure was just an estimate. Horan also reported spending $7,500 for Presbyterian on the Governor's Prayer Breakfast, held Friday morning at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. When told Wednesday that he was the only lobbyist to file a report so far, Horan, a former legislator, said, "I carried the Lobbyist Regulation Act, so I'd better do it." Employees of the Secretary of State's Office on Wednesday speculated that there might be confusion over the act, which says when the Legislature is in session, lobbyists must report "within 48 hours for each separate expenditure made or incurred during a legislative session that was for ... ($500) or more." Read full story here:

Lobbyists Shirking Reporting Rules