By Associated Press - Friday, March 2, 2018

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on legislation signed by New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (all times local):

6:55 p.m.

Gov. Susana Martinez has vetoed legislation that was initially aimed at bolstering campaign finance reporting requirements for lobbyists when it came to expenses under $100.

In rejecting the legislation Friday, she said in a message to lawmakers that categories of spending spelled out in the bill were too vague and did little to provide more information to the public.

She voiced concerns about lobbyists not being required to disclose whom they are spending the money on.

The two-term Republican governor also took a swipe at lawmakers, saying they should provide full disclosure of all benefits received from lobbyists as well as make their email messages subject to the state public records law.

Martinez also has been criticized by Democrats over the years as part of the transparency debate.

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6:35 p.m.

Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation that allows for greater confidentiality for tenant trade secrets at the state-subsidized spaceport in southern New Mexico.

The two-term Republican governor signed the measure Friday.

Over the course of the 30-day legislative session, the measure was watered down to cover only trade secrets and information that would compromise the physical security or cybersecurity.

The original bill had added restrictions on public records that would have kept secret the names of companies doing businesses with the spaceport and the financial terms of individual contracts.

The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government argued those proposed restrictions have undermined accountability and financial oversight.

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6:08 p.m.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has signed a bill that allows tax-free purchase at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Martinez on Friday approved a deduction that allows businesses with 10 employees or fewer to leave sales taxes off many items one day a year. The bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Doreen Gallegos of Las Cruces aims to encourage shopping at small businesses.

In a written message, Martinez lamented that the Legislature did not act on her recommendations to overhaul the state’s gross receipts tax on sales and business services.

Also Friday, the governor signed legislation to combat the spread of pecan weevils that threaten a major New Mexico crop and to deter the theft of pecans by licensing pecan buyers in order to better document and track sales.

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