NMFOG

A lobbyist's only job is to influence our elected officials, yet, at the moment, we have no idea which lobbyists are directly influencing them or why. House Bill 143 would solve that problem. That's why we wrote the governor today, urging her to sign HB 143 into law.

To every architect, real estate agent, and lawyer in NM: If HB 283 becomes law, you will be charged a $30-per-hour fee if you want deeds, building permits, plats, zoning information, probate records, civil case files, and more. Tell Rep. Chandler "no"! nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_My_…

Reality under HB283: A mom needs a copy of her son’s birth certificate. The online records form has a question about "certification," but she's too tired to read it. She clicks the box then sends the form. Because of that click, she will now pay over $30 for a record that's free.

We spent our afternoon giving a presentation about Sunshine Laws to public employees visiting from Kazakhstan. A big thank you to Global Ties ABQ for the opportunity to discuss government transparency with the delegation. Plus, they gave us chocolate!

According to House Bill 139, there should be a publically available list of all people who annoy local records custodians.

Thank you to Highland High School for displaying the First Amendment in their “NewsZroom." The president of our board of directors spotted it while judging last weekend's NMAA Scholastic Publications Competition for high school journalists at the school.

Our friends at Quirky Books are helping #nmfog get in the holiday spirit by selling our handmade cards celebrating the season. Each 12-pack contains 3 designs created by Cathryn Cunningham.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, food, fun, football, and cranberry sauce.

We welcome Christine Barber as the new Executive Director of #nmfog. She begins her new positon on Monday!

Do you know how many records are subject to inspection in NM? Do you want to know more about your rights regarding the IPRA and OMA? Email [email protected] to sign up for Bootcamp on Nov. 26 at 10 a.m.