Rep. Moe Maestas (D-Bernalillo) supports legislation that would allow New Mexico lawmakers to be paid a salary.

KRQE reports the proposed resolution provides an ethics commission with the authority to provide lawmakers with set salaries, which Maestas said would lessen the need to work a full-time, year-round job and reduce conflicts of interest.

“We would have more time to devote to constituent services, oversight of state government, crafting legislation throughout the interim, and these crazy 60 and 30-day sessions wouldn’t be so crazy,” Maestas told KRQE. “If we have some type of salary, that justifies putting in restrictions on how we can participate in business and investments.”

If approved, the state's ethics commission would review the salaries for state lawmakers every two years, according to KRQE, which would replace the former system of a per diem that lawmakers currently collect, preventing lawmakers in New Mexico from getting “rich.”

A similar resolution was introduced last session but did not move in the House for further consideration or vote.

New Mexico lawmakers currently receive a per diem of around $174 per day to cover expenses such as food, lodging and gas, according to KRQE.