Governor pushes anti-corruption bills

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The first full week of the new legislative session begins Monday in Santa Fe.

The first decisions on the agenda for the legislature are to pass a state budget. But there's a long list of bills both the Governor and state lawmakers are trying to get passed.

Governor Susana Martinez talked about four bills Sunday, all targeting public corruption.

"We're here to talk about four pieces of legislation that will help to hold those convicted of corruption accountable," said Governor Martinez.

Martinez' goal is to restore trust in state government.

One bill she's supporting would increase penalties for elected officials convicted of public corruption. They would have to forfeit his or her pension, and be banned from ever doing business with the state.

Another bill would require the immediate removal from office for any elected official convicted of corruption. The Governor pointed to Jerome Block, Jr. as an example.

"Earlier this year, we saw that former PRC Commissioner Jerome Block plead guilty to serious crime and was still allowed to draw a paycheck from the taxpayers for ten to fourteen days," said the Governor.

Another bill would prevent the state from paying for public officials' legal fees in corruption cases.

The fourth and final bill would prevent legislators from lobbying the state for two years after leaving public office.

Governor Martinez claims to have support of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Some of them were with her during her press conference.

According to State Representative Nate Gentry, public corruption costs New Mexico a lot of money. He says about 200-million dollars every year.