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Sun-News report

SANTA FE - A bill that would allow dog owners to bring their pets to outdoor restaurants is unfair to the owners of other pets, Sen. Bill Sharer argued Saturday. And to emphasize his point he brought Petunia, a ball python snake, to the floor of the Senate during debate.

"If we allow dogs in a restaurants, I want Petunia to be able to go in," Sharer argued, the snake wrapped around his neck. "And shouldn't she be able to eat there, too?"

Sharer said Petunia, also known as Kaa Dela Selva, was issued a visitor's pass for the Senate floor as she was called as expert witness on SB 11.

•Local transparency: A bill that would require local governments to post budgets, contracts and other information on a website similar to the state's has passed its final committee hurdle in the Senate.

SB 392, the Local Government Transparency Act, now goes to the full Senate. The bill would require cities, counties and other local government entites to post cash balances; annual operating budget; contracts sufficiently large to warrant an RFP; monthly revenues received; capital projects expenditures; employee directory with salaries; open meetings information; municipal codes, ordinances or charter; and an annual summary of fiscal health.

"I commend Sen. Sander Rue for passing the statewide sunshine portal last year, and find it highly encouraging that my colleagues are also lending their support to my local sunshine initiative this year," said Sen. Mary Jane

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Garcia, D-Do a Ana. "If we demand transparency to taxpayers at the statewide level, it seems obvious that we should also do so at the local level. I am confident I can make this bill law this session and can offer our citizens the governmental accountability that is rightfully theirs."

•Building names: A bill that would have prohibited naming public buildings after sitting elected officials was tabled on a 4-2 vote Friday in the Senate Rules Committee.

Sen. Mark Boitano, R-Albuquerque, argued that naming public buildings after a current office holders amounts to a free political advertisement.

"I believe there are serious legal questions about whether - under the Campaign Reporting Act - having the name of a current politician on a public building constitutes a 'gift or a thing of value,' whether during an election cycle this would constitute advertising, whether this may influence an election, and whether this may be a reportable contribution from the building manager," Boitano said. "Regardless of the answers to these questions, simply, it is not good state policy to allow a public building to serve as a 24/7 billboard for sitting politicians."