Letters of reference concerning employment, licensing or permits are excepted from inspection under IPRA. NMSA 1978 § 14-2-1-A (2)

A reference consists of the author’s subjective opinion about an applicant and may not necessarily be based upon fact. Another policy reason to exclude references is that the disclosure of such references could chill a candid discussion about an applicant’s qualifications. AG IPRA Guide Commentary, p. 9