It is unlawful for an elected state official, public officer or employee who works for a regulatory office or a candidate who seeks election to a regulatory office or anyone authorized by a candidate to solicit funds on his behalf to knowingly solicit a contribution from an entity or its officers or employees or a person that is directly regulated by the office. For purposes of this section, an entity or person is directly regulated by an office when the entity's or person's charges for services offered to the public are set or directly subject to approval by the regulatory office or when a license to do business in the state is determined by the regulatory office.

History: 1978 Comp., § 1-19-34.2, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 46, § 13; 1995, ch. 153, § 13.

The 1995 amendment, effective June 16, 1995, inserted "regulatory" preceding the last two references to "office" in the section and made a stylistic change.

Justices may not solicit funds from attorneys. — This section precludes justices of and candidates for the New Mexico Supreme Court, either directly or through anyone they authorize, to solicit funds on their behalf, or to knowingly solicit campaign contributions from attorneys licensed in New Mexico. This section, however, is directed at the solicitation of funds, and does not prohibit Supreme Court justices or candidates from accepting voluntary, unsolicited contributions from attorneys. In addition, this section would not prevent lawyers or organizations of lawyers or other citizens from soliciting contributions for a justice or candidate for Supreme Court justice if they were not authorized by the justice or candidate to solicit contributions on his or her behalf. 1994 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 94-04.