Governor Backs Measure to Require Changes in Statute

Governor Susana Martinez

SANTA FE - Governor Susana Martinez announced today that her administration has completed an overhaul of the New Mexico Sunshine Portal, which now displays the names, titles, and salary rates of all state employees, regardless of their classification. In the past, the Sunshine Portal has only listed information for exempt employees. The portal now includes information for classified employees, who work under the rules and guidelines of the state’s civil service system. In October, Governor Martinez announced that she had directed the Department of Information Technology to make employee information for all state workers available through the Sunshine Portal. Governor Martinez also announced her support for legislation that will be offered in the upcoming legislative session by Sen. Sander Rue (R-Albuquerque) which will require, by law, that the Sunshine Portal post name, title, and salary rate for all state employees regardless of classification. “Listing this important information on the Sunshine Portal will give New Mexicans an even greater idea of how their tax dollars are spent in the operation of state government,” said Governor Martinez. “New Mexico taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going – whether it pays the salary of a civil servant or an appointee. Senator Rue’s legislation will put into law the changes we have made over the last several weeks and guarantee that New Mexicans will continue to be part of the process of their government.”
New Mexico’s Sunshine Portal is a website that displays wide-ranging data for state agency budgets, expenditures, employees, revenue, and purchases, along with a number of informational reports including state investment reports and annual fiscal summaries. This summer, the official version of the Sunshine Portal was unveiled after a 6-month beta mode trial, to include additional functions as developed by constituent feedback. It is administered by the Department of Information Technology (DoIT).

Sander Rue

“The Department of Information Technology has worked hard to implement this important transparency measure,” said DoIT Secretary Darryl Ackley. “As with all of our transparency measures, we encourage feedback to ensure that information is as thorough and accurate as possible.”

“The Sunshine Portal is a great tool that promotes and encourages open and honest government,” added Sen. Rue. “Governor Martinez’s direction to include information for all state employees on the portal is a victory for government transparency. By putting these measures into law, we are ensuring that future generations of New Mexicans will have a much clearer idea of how their tax dollars are used.”

Governor Backs Measure to Require Changes in Statute