I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
At the request of legislative leaders, Gov. Richardson on Tuesday postponed the special legislative session by five days. Why do lawmakers want to craft a budget deal before they deliberate in public?
Despite what he calls its “flaws,” Gov. Bill Richardson signed today a bill that will open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public.
Political theater is how John Fleck termed Gov. Bill Richardson’s recent machinations regarding whether or not he’ll sign a bill to open legislative conference committees. I’d describe it more specifically as a Shakespearean game of cat and mouse.
The likely explanation for Gov. Bill Richardson’s recent backpedaling is that he’s being pushed by opponents of open conference committees. And Richardson, a dealmaker who usually thinks about how he can benefit before he thinks about the public’s interest, is entertaining the idea of vetoing the bill.
“Bob Johnson, thou art avenged!” was what The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Steve Terrell wrote on his blog last week after the Legislature, following years and years of debate, approved a bill that would open conference committees and most other legislative meetings to the public. Not so fast, Gov. Bill Richardson effectively said.
Though he previously pledged to sign a bill that would open conference committees and many other currently closed legislative meetings to the public, the governor’s office now says Bill Richardson is concerned about “loopholes in the bill” and isn’t certain he’ll sign it.
I didn’t think it would be until next session that I’d have an example I could use to talk about why the New Mexico Legislature was right to open conference committees to the public. But a bullying move by House Speaker Ben Lujan and an about-face by a state senator who has vehemently opposed opening conference committees in the past gave me the ammunition to write that column today.
The New Mexico Legislature is about to hold a conference committee meeting that is open to the public.
The New Mexico Senate voted late Thursday to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the light of day — and the public. The bill now goes to Gov. Bill Richardson, who has said he will sign it.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, says a proposal to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public will be the last item the Senate will hear tonight. Interestingly, it’s Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque and chair of the Senate Rules Committee, who will present Cervantes’ bill tonight.
Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said on the Senate floor this afternoon that he plans for a debate tonight on one of the bills that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public.
Sen. Dede Feldman asked to delay a hearing earlier today on a proposal to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public because she wants the Senate to consider another bill instead of hers.
Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, just brought up, “as promised,” a bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public. Then the bill’s sponsor asked for a short delay.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted this morning to send to the Senate floor a second bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public.
After saying earlier today that a vote on whether to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public would “probably” come tonight, Majority Leader Michael Sanchez delayed a hearing on the bill again this evening.
For the third straight day, the Senate had on its agenda Tuesday a proposal to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public, but Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, never brought the item up for debate and a vote.
The Senate Rules Committee gave a do-pass recommendation this morning to a bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public. With a similar bill already on the calendar for today’s Senate floor session, what happens next isn’t clear.
For the second straight day, the Senate had on its agenda a proposal to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public, but, as it did on Sunday, the Senate adjourned late Monday evening without considering the bill.
With legislation that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public languishing in the Senate Rules Committee, Sen. Dede Feldman will try a procedural move tomorrow to try to move the proposal though a different committee and to the Senate floor for a vote.
A bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public could be voted on by the House on Monday.
