OFFICIALS SUPPORT VOLUNTARY DRUG TESTING

Most elected officials in eastern New Mexico say they want to learn
more, but they support proposed legislation that calls for voluntary
drug testing for all elected officials in the state.

Sen. Steve Komadina, R-Corrales, introduced the legislation on
Wednesday and said results from the voluntary drug tests would be sent
to the Secretary of State and be posted on its Web site. The proposal
will be addressed during next year's legislative session in Santa Fe.

"I want a chance to prove that I am clean," Komadina said. "Government
has the responsibility to prove that it is not being run by a bunch of
druggies."

Roosevelt County Commissioner Chad Davis said he liked the idea of
drug testing elected officials, but thought it should be mandatory.

"If you're an elected official, the people who elected you don't want
someone who is a drug user representing them," he said. "I think if
you are going to be enacting laws to imprison people you should be in
a position to make sure that you are within those laws yourself."

The proposed legislation surfaced because of the arrest of
high-profile Albuquerque Chief District Judge W. John Brennan who was
arrested for cocaine possession on May 29.

Komadina said throughout the year voluntary drug tests would be sent
to elected officials and those who decide to take the tests would have
24 hours to do so. The tests would be sent by a drug-testing facility
to the Secretary of State's office. He said elected officials would
pay for the testing, not taxpayers. It's not known how much the drug
tests would cost.

Rep. Brian Moore, R-Clayton, said he's all for the
program.

"It would be fine with me," he said. "I just don't think it would be a
bad thing."

Moore said he would 'probably' vote for the voluntary drug-testing
bill. "I would need to see all of the details and it will be
interesting to see the bill go through the process," he said.

Rep. Jose Campos, D-Santa Rosa, said he wouldn't have a problem being
drug tested, but did question the interference that government would
be creating if the legislation were approved.

"It seems like everyone wants to be involved in everything that we
do," he said. "I just wonder how far we go with the intrusion that
government has into everyone's life. It's just amazing."

Newly elected 9th Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler said
because state employees' salaries are paid with taxpayer money, it's
only right that state workers be subject to drug tests.

"If you are being paid by the people, they have a right to know what
you're doing," he said. "As long as you are working for the
government, the people should have an interest in who they are
employing. The people have a right."

Clovis City Commissioner Juan Garza said he would take a drug test if
asked.

"If we are working for the public, we should be held accountable for
our actions," he said. "Once you become a public official you have no
privacy. Since I don't drink or smoke, the test wouldn't matter to me.
I think it's a good thing."

Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, who earlier this month retained her District
42 seat, said she doesn't have a problem being drug tested.

"We ask that our kids who participate in school activities go through
the process of random drug testing. If I was asked to be drug tested,
I would do it," she said.

However, Kernan said she wasn't sure if she would vote for the
measure. She said she needed to learn more about the specifics of the
legislation.

Asking elected officials to take voluntary drug tests will hopefully
restore some of the public's trust with officials, Komadina said.

"If government officials make the laws, enforce the laws, we ourselves
must uphold the laws," he said. "The public deserves to know whether
we do indeed abide by our own laws. Drug testing will allow elected
officials to prove they hold themselves to the same standards they
hold members of the public. We need to restore confidence and stop the
mistrust."

Some lawmakers aren't convinced that drug testing will restore the
public's trust though.

"Much more than this legislation needs to be done to restore the
public's trust in elected officials, but this is a start," Moore said.

Campos said he doesn't think the public distrusts elected official as
much as Komadina is indicating.

"I think it is few and far between," he said. "It was his (Brennan's)
personal desire to do what he did and I don't think we should be
judging everyone because of one person's fault."

If people don't trust their officials, Campos said, they can vote them
out of office.