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Friday afternoon, the Senate voted 37-0 to implement webcasting as soon as technically possible, perhaps as early as Saturday. The webcast would not be archived and will carry a notice stating that it cannot be used for political purposes.The webcasting resolution (SR 4) was introduced by Sen. Mark Boitano, R-Albuquerque.
Last Saturday, as NMI was live-blogging, Sen. John Sapien, D-Albuquerque, added two “poison pill” amendments to the resolution, meaning it needed a two-thirds vote in order to pass. At the time, the resolution did not have that much support. The vote was delayed, then the amendments were incorporated and another vote was scheduled for today.
Instead of three cameras that would have zoomed in on senators’ faces as they were speaking, the amendments to the new version substituted one camera that would capture a static picture of the Senate floor from the perspective of the gallery. That’s from behind the senators so that their faces would largely not be seen.
The resolution also implements a webcasting committee “to ensure that the live audio and video stream is produced and operated in an apolitical manner befitting the Senate.”
During the debate several senators referenced the webcasting and live-blogging that NMI and The Santa Fe Reporter have done during this legislative session.
From the resolution:
A live audio and video stream of the Senate floor proceedings shall be accessible through the Legislature’s Web site in a manner befitting the Senate, including an appropriate user interface, subject to the following:
(a) the live stream shall begin as soon as practicable after the president has announced that a quorum is present and shall terminate as soon as practicable after a motion to recess or adjourn has carried, or upon the order of the presiding officer;
(b) the live video stream shall be from a single camera installed at the rear of the chamber, positioned and focused so as to capture an image of the chamber that as nearly
as possible replicates the view of a member of the public seated in the gallery in such a way that no material on members’ desks, computer monitors or similar devices can be read or viewed;(c) the live stream shall not be archived;
(d) the provisions of this rule shall apply when the Senate is meeting in the committee of the whole and when any standing committee of the Senate is meeting in the chamber, at the request of the chair; and,
(e) the stream shall carry a notice to the effect that the stream is being produced for the benefit of the public and any political use is prohibited and that the stream is not an official record of the Senate’s proceedings.
