Bernalillo County adopts revised code‑of‑conduct rules, asks for further review of 'commissioner interference' language

Bernalillo County commissioners voted unanimously on Jan. 13 to adopt a package of amendments to the county code of conduct designed to clarify enforcement and candidate disclosure requirements.

The measure, introduced earlier and presented by Chief Compliance Officer Rocky Gutierrez and review‑board attorney Veronica Gonzales, included an amendment to subsection 2‑131(d) that allows the review board, upon receiving a sworn complaint, to consider penalties for late, incomplete or misleading filings and preserves the ability for individuals to petition district court to remove a candidate from the ballot.

"Upon filing of the sworn complaint, the review board can consider imposing penalties for any unfiled, late, incomplete, misleading, or false filing," the adopted amendment reads, and the board approved it prior to final adoption.

Why it matters: commissioners said the changes tighten financial‑disclosure rules and aim to make enforcement less partisan. Multiple commissioners also raised concerns about a broader 'commissioner interference' standard in the code — one commissioner described that section as so broadly written that normal oversight questions could be construed as interference.

Next steps: commissioners asked the county manager and the review board to return within about 90 days with a focused review of the commissioner‑interference language and any needed changes to avoid weaponization of the code against elected officials. Chair Brown and review‑board members said they welcome continued collaboration and will provide a timeline.

The ordinance (listed in the meeting materials as 2026‑1) passed on final vote without dissent.