10/12/2026 Restoring Trust in New Mexico’s Legislature

Published October 14, 2026 at 4:00 PM MDT

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When it comes to ethics, transparency, and accountability in state government, New Mexico lags much of the country. A recent survey found that only 19% of New Mexicans trust their state government.

On this week's The Forum, Think New Mexico Executive Director Fred Nathan discusses these proposals, along with Amendment 4 on November's ballot, which would allow New Mexico legislators to receive a salary for the first time. A link to the report is included in the show notes.

With a new governor taking office in January, Think New Mexico is calling for sweeping legislative reforms. Its latest report, The Next Step for a Modernizing Legislature, outlines 10 recommendations, including requiring legislators to recuse themselves when they have financial conflicts of interest, stronger disclosure requirements for so-called dark money, and a mandatory cooling-off period before former legislators can lobby their former colleagues.

Host:           Jim Falk
Co-Host:      Daniel James
Guests:        Fred Nathan, Founder & Executive Director, Think New Mexico

Read the report The Next Step for a Modernizing Legislature