Some legislators in New Mexico tire of amateur status

By MORGAN LEE
Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The nation’s only unsalaried legislature is considering whether to abandon its amateur status. A New Mexico Senate panel on Monday endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would enable the state’s 112 legislators to collect salaries. Approval by the New Mexico Legislature would send the measure to a statewide vote. New Mexico’s “citizen legislature” of volunteer politicians has long been a source of civic pride in the state. Proponents of legislative salaries say steady pay would attract more young candidates from working households to serve as lawmakers and alleviate some conflicts of interest.