§ 10-16g-16

A. A person shall not take or threaten to take any retaliatory, disciplinary or other adverse action against another person who in good faith:(1) files a verified complaint with the commission that alleges a violation; or(2) provides testimony, records, documents or other information to the commission during an investigation or at a hearing.B. A complainant and a respondent shall not communicate ex parte with any hearing officer, commissioner or other person involved in a determination of the complaint. C. Nothing in the State Ethics Commission Act precludes civil or criminal actions for libel or slander or other civil or criminal actions against a person who files a false claim.History: Laws 2019, ch. 86, § 16. ANNOTATIONSEffective dates. — Laws 2019, ch. 86, § 41 made Laws 2019, ch. 86, § 16 effective January 1, 2020.Applicability. — Laws 2019, ch. 86, § 40 provided that the provisions of the State Ethics Commission Act apply only to conduct occurring on or after July 1, 2019. A state employee who also receives a monthly salary from a political campaign committee does not necessarily violate state ethics laws.

n Act apply only to conduct occurring on or after July 1, 2019. A state employee who also receives a monthly salary from a political campaign committee does not necessarily violate state ethics laws. — Although the Gift Act, 10-16B-1 to 10-16B-4 NMSA 1978, the Governmental Conduct Act, 10-16-1 to 10-16-18 NMSA 1978, the Financial Disclosure Act, 10-16A-1 to 10-16A-8 NMSA 1978, the Campaign Reporting Act, 1-19-25 to 1-19-36 NMSA 1978, and the State Ethics Commission Act, Chapter 10, Article 16G NMSA 1978, impose certain duties on state employees and regulate certain state employees' conduct, the limited set of facts presented in this request, that a state employee, while employed and performing regular public duties, is also receiving a monthly salary from a political campaign committee or political organization, do not establish a violation of any of the foregoing statutes. 2020 Op. Ethics Comm'n No. 2020-01.