Rep. who pushed legislative pay missed staggering amount of committee work

One of the original sponsors of New Mexico’s proposed constitutional amendment to begin paying state lawmakers is facing fresh scrutiny over her own attendance record, as an opposition group argues voters should demand stronger accountability before approving annual legislative salaries.

Our Values PAC released an analysis Sunday examining Democrat state Rep. Angelica Rubio’s attendance at interim legislative committees, focusing particularly on her work — or lack of attendance — on the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee.

Rubio was one of five Democrat sponsors of House Joint Resolution 5, which placed Constitutional Amendment 4 on the November ballot. The measure would allow New Mexico lawmakers to receive annual salaries tied to the state’s median household income beginning in 2029, while qualifying per diem payments would remain available. 

Our Values PAC says Rubio’s record raises a basic question for voters: If taxpayers are going to begin paying lawmakers annual salaries, what should taxpayers expect in return?

“Before New Mexico voters decide whether legislators should receive annual salaries, they deserve to know whether the lawmakers sponsoring this amendment are fulfilling their existing responsibilities,” PAC spokeswoman Anissa Tinnin said.

“Rubio’s attendance record raises serious questions about accountability. Annual salaries should come with clear expectations for attendance and participation, so taxpayers know what they’re getting in return.” 

PAC says Rubio missed 82.5% of CCJC meeting days

The most striking figure involves the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee, which studies issues including crime, corrections, courts and public safety during the months when the Legislature is not in regular session.

According to the PAC’s analysis, Rubio attended only 14 of 80 recorded CCJC meeting days, missing 66 — an 82.5% absence rate.

The accompanying attendance spreadsheet provided by the group reflects the same totals: 14 attended, 66 missed and an overall CCJC attendance rate of just 17.5%. Rubio Committee Attendance

Our Values PAC says Rubio has missed all 43 recorded CCJC meeting days since the beginning of 2024. 

The absences were not simply the result of lawmakers being asked to travel hundreds of miles across the state.

The PAC says Rubio missed 10 of 12 recorded interim committee meeting days held in Las Cruces, her hometown, for an attendance rate of just 16.7% at those meetings. The group’s spreadsheet lists only two Las Cruces meeting days attended and 10 missed. 

Attendance plunges after 2022

The PAC says Rubio’s attendance changed dramatically over time.

From 2017 through 2022, according to its analysis of legislative records, Rubio attended 68% of recorded interim committee meeting days.

From 2023 through 2025, that figure fell to just 6%, the group says. 

In 2024, Rubio allegedly missed all 22 recorded interim committee meeting days across her assigned committees.

In 2025, she attended just one of 26, according to the PAC. 

The broader spreadsheet provided with the release tracks 136 committee meeting days from 2017 through October 2026. Across all committees listed, Rubio was recorded as attending 45 and missing 91, for an overall attendance rate of 33.1%. Rubio Committee Attendance

Our Values PAC says its methodology relied on official legislative meeting minutes and, for more recent 2026 meetings where minutes had not yet been published, archived video of committee proceedings. Advisory-only committee assignments were excluded. 

Salary proposal puts attendance under microscope

The numbers matter politically because Amendment 4 would fundamentally change how New Mexico legislators are compensated.

Currently, lawmakers do not receive a traditional annual salary, though they do receive per diem and mileage for qualifying legislative work, including interim committee meetings.

Under Amendment 4, legislators would instead become eligible for an annual salary tied to median household income beginning in 2029. The salary would not depend upon attendance at individual interim committee meetings, and eligible per diem would remain available. 

That distinction is precisely what Our Values PAC is attempting to put before voters.

“The debate over legislative salaries should include more than how much lawmakers are paid,” Tinnin said. “It should also address what taxpayers can reasonably expect in return.” 

The PAC also pointed out that Rubio has had access since 2025 to a taxpayer-funded district legislative aide. The release, citing salary information previously reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, puts that aide’s annual compensation at $72,841. The PAC argues that the additional staffing support adds another layer to the debate over attendance and legislative workload. 

PAC also raises pension issue

Our Values PAC is also tying the attendance issue to legislators’ existing retirement benefits.

Its release estimates that if Rubio begins a sixth term in January 2027 and has accumulated 10 years of credited legislative service, she could potentially qualify for a legislative pension worth approximately $2,594 per month, or $31,122 annually, using the current published formula and per diem rate.

Over a hypothetical 35-year retirement, the PAC calculates that at more than $1.08 million, even before any cost-of-living adjustments.

However, the organization expressly notes that Rubio’s individual participation in the pension system and her eligibility have not been independently verified, making those figures illustrative rather than confirmed benefits Rubio personally will receive. 

Larger accountability fight over Amendment 4

The new attack comes as Amendment 4 opponents increasingly attempt to shift the debate away from the simple question of whether lawmakers should be paid and toward what obligations should accompany a taxpayer-funded salary.

Our Values PAC contends that if legislators receive predictable annual compensation, voters should also expect measurable standards for attendance, participation and accountability.

Rubio’s record now gives that argument a concrete target.

According to the group’s data, a lawmaker who helped put legislative salaries on the ballot has missed the overwhelming majority of her recorded CCJC meetings, including every recorded meeting day on that committee since 2024.

Whether that record changes voters’ minds about Amendment 4 remains to be seen.

But for Our Values PAC, the question is straightforward: Before lawmakers receive a paycheck, should voters first know how often they are showing up for the job?