Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 11, June 11, 2024
Section 1.8.4.9 - PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC ETHICSThis Code is based on, and should be interpreted to advance, the following principles of public ethics:
A.Honest services. An officer or employee shall conduct government functions in accordance with the law and free from conflicts of interest. Public office is a public trust; as such, an official or employee must take care to ensure that every official act and decision affecting the rights or interests of individuals is based in law and the public interest.B.Proportionality. When committing an official act or making a decision, an officer or employee shall ensure that the action taken is proportional to the goal being pursued. The officer or employee shall avoid restricting the rights of New Mexicans or imposing burdens on them when those restrictions or burdens are not justified by a public interest.C.Impartiality and fairness. The conduct of an officer or employee shall be impartial and fair, and shall never be guided by:(1) personal, family or financial interests;(2) a motivation to benefit or empower an elected official, a candidate for office, or a political party or its members; or(3) a motivation to disadvantage or disempower an elected official, a candidate for office, or a political party or its members.D.Consistency. Like cases shall be treated alike. An officer or employee shall behave consistently with the agency's normal practices, unless there is a legitimate basis for departing from those practices in an individual case and that basis is documented in writing. An officer or employee shall respect the reasonable expectations of the public that the agency will continue to act as it has acted in similar circumstances unless there is a rational basis for the change.E.Diligence. An officer or employee shall ensure that every decision on a matter is made with care and adequate understanding of the issue, within a reasonable time, and without unnecessary delay.F.Respect. An officer or employee shall be courteous and accessible to members of the public, co-workers, and their colleagues.G.Transparency. The official acts and decisions of officers and employees shall be made openly and with adequate opportunity for public review and comment.H.Fallibility and openness to change. Individuals not only err in judgment but also act in ways that unconsciously benefit some and burden others; accordingly, officers and employees should be open to and invite review, correction and reversal of their actions when they are mistaken, have failed to take relevant information into account, or are otherwise in violation of the principles of this code or the law.Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 24, December 29, 2020, eff. 1/1/2021