Rue Continues Fight for More Open Government

Sander Rue

Santa Fe – State Senator Sander Rue of Albuquerque said more state government employee names and salaries will be on New Mexico’s Sunshine Portal, and the requirement to put the information on the state’s website would be in state law and would not be at the whim of future governors, if his bill to expand the definition of “state agency” in the Sunshine Portal is passed.
The definition will be expanded to include all branches of government. If SB 30 passes, employee names, titles and salaries of the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches of state government would be required to be included on the state’s website. Because they are state employees, school personnel including teachers and administrators would be included, too.
“Governor Susana Martinez has done an excellent job requiring her administration’s employee names and salaries be on the state’s website so members of the public, who pay their salaries, can have this information,” Senator Rue said. “ If this expansion of the Sunshine Portal passes, future administrations will have to follow suit and all branches of government will be required to include their employees’ names, positions and salaries on the website.”

His SB 30- State Agency Sunshine Portal Requirements – would require the directory of state employees, not only non-exempt employees, be included on the state’s website with their titles and salaries. Senator Rue’s bill provides exceptions for undercover police officers and anyone who has filed for a protection order under the Family Violence Protection Act.

Less than two years ago, the Sunshine Portal Transparency Act was signed into law. Currently, all exempt employees, their titles and salaries are made public on the portal, as well as financial information. The state’s budget is also on the state portal. The address for the portal is: Sunshineportalnm.com It is called the Official Government Transparency Portal of New Mexico.

Rue Continues Fight for More Open Government