A. The secretary of state shall advise and seek to educate all persons required to perform duties under the Campaign Reporting Act [1-19-25 to 1-19-36 NMSA 1978] of those duties. This includes advising all known reporting individuals at least annually of that act's deadlines for submitting required reports and statements of exception. The secretary of state, in consultation with the attorney general, shall issue advisory opinions, when requested in writing to do so, on matters concerning that act. All prescribed forms prepared shall be clear and easy to complete.

B. The secretary of state may initiate investigations to determine whether any provision of the Campaign Reporting Act has been violated. Additionally, any person who believes that a provision of that act has been violated may file a written complaint with the secretary of state any time prior to ninety days after an election, except that no complaints from the public may be filed within eight days prior to an election. The secretary of state shall adopt procedures for issuing advisory opinions and processing complaints and notifications of violations.

C. The secretary of state shall at all times seek to ensure voluntary compliance with the provisions of the Campaign Reporting Act. If the secretary of state determines that a provision of that act for which a penalty may be imposed has been violated, the secretary of state shall by written notice set forth the violation and the fine imposed and inform the reporting individual that he has ten working days from the date of the letter to correct the matter and to provide a written explanation, under penalty of perjury, stating any reason why the violation occurred. If a timely explanation is filed and the secretary of state determines that good cause exists to waive the fine imposed, the secretary of state may by a written notice of final action partially or fully waive any fine imposed for any late, incomplete or false report or statement of exception. A written notice of final action shall be sent by certified mail.

D. Upon receipt of the notice of final action, the person against whom the penalty has been imposed may protest the secretary of state's determination, including an advisory opinion, by submitting on a prescribed form a written request for binding arbitration to the secretary of state within ten working days of the date of the notice of final action. Any fine imposed shall be due and payable within ten working days of the date of notice of final action. No additional fine shall accrue pending the issuance of the arbitration decision. Fines paid pursuant to a notice of final action that are subsequently reduced or dismissed shall be reimbursed with interest within ten working days after the filing of the arbitration decision with the secretary of state. Interest on the reduced or dismissed portion of the fine shall be the same as the rate of interest earned by the secretary of state's escrow account to be established by the department of finance and administration.

E. An arbitration hearing shall be conducted by a single arbitrator selected within ten days by the person against whom the penalty has been imposed from a list of five arbitrators provided by the secretary of state. Neither the secretary of state nor a person subject to the Campaign Reporting Act, Lobbyist Regulation Act [Chapter 2, Article 11 NMSA 1978] or Financial Disclosure Act [10-16A-1 to 10-16A-8 NMSA 1978] may serve as an arbitrator. Arbitrators shall be considered to be independent contractors, not public officers or employees, and shall not be paid per diem and mileage.

F. The arbitrator shall conduct the hearing within thirty days of the request for arbitration. The arbitrator may impose any penalty the secretary of state is authorized to impose. The arbitrator shall state the reasons for his decision in a written document that shall be a public record. The decision shall be final and binding. The decision shall be issued and filed with the secretary of state within thirty days of the conclusion of the hearing. Unless otherwise provided for in this section or by rule or regulation adopted by the secretary of state, the procedures for the arbitration shall be governed by the Uniform Arbitration Act [44-7A-1 to 44-7A-32 NMSA 1978]. No arbitrator shall be subject to liability for actions taken pursuant to this section.

G. The secretary of state may refer a matter to the attorney general or a district attorney for a civil injunctive or other appropriate order or for criminal enforcement.

History: 1978 Comp., § 1-19-34.4, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 46, § 15; 1995, ch. 153, § 15; 1997, ch. 112, § 4.

The 1997 amendment, effective June 20, 1997, in Subsection A, substituted "that" for "the Campaign Reporting"; made minor stylistic changes in Subsection B; and rewrote Subsections D, E and F.

The 1995 amendment, effective June 16, 1995, inserted "statements of exception" at the end of the second sentence in Subsection A, inserted "any provision of" preceding "the Campaign Reporting Act" and made a related change in Subsection B, rewrote Subsections C through E, and in Subsection F, added the first sentence and inserted "and filed with the secretary of state" following "shall be issued" in the fifth sentence.

Constitutionality. — Provision of this section providing for binding arbitration of alleged violations of the Campaign Reporting Act, 1-19-25 through 1-19-36 NMSA 1978, for which a penalty has been imposed is not unconstitutional, because the act specifically requires that the arbitration procedures be governed by the Uniform Arbitration Act, 44-7-1 through 44-7-22 [44-7A-1 to 44-7A-32] NMSA 1978, which expressly authorizes judicial review of the arbitrator's decision. 2002 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 02-01.