House leader seeks anti-discrimination rules for Legislature

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic House Speaker Brian Egolf says he wants to add new provisions to legislative ethics rules that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender and sexual identity.

Egolf told media on Thursday that he will ask a panel of leading lawmakers to incorporate elements of New Mexico’s Human Rights Act into rules that apply to the Legislature and its staff.

He said the request to the Legislative Council committee can’t be made until late spring after the conclusion on March 20 of the current legislative session because of procedural constraints.