Jeff Steinborn

By most estimates the cost of the 2010 special session is $50,000 a day. It a number that weighs heavy on the minds of law makers as they try to tackle the states budget crunch.  “Everyday of the session costs about $50,000,” Rep. Dennis Roch, R-Tucumcari, said Monday.  ”That’s enough to pay one full time [...]

Proposals to expand legislative webcasting and create a state ethics commission died in the Senate today when the session ended without Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, calling them up for debate.

Two pieces of legislation that would expand webcasting are on the Senate calendar today. Senate Resolution 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, is No. 11 on today’s calendar. House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, is No. 66. Neither was included in the initial list of bills scheduled on the floor, however.

Without debate, the Senate Rules Committee today gave a do-pass recommendation to a memorial that would direct Legislative Council Service to begin webcasting interim committee meetings. House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, now heads to the Senate Public Affairs Committee before it can be voted on by the full Senate.

Three Doña Ana County legislators who want to reform rules that govern the State Land Office have endorsed former Land Commissioner Ray Powell in his 2010 bid to regain the seat. Sen. Steve Fischmann and Reps. Jeff Steinborn and Nate Cote are all Democrats from Doña Ana County, where no-bid planning and development leases given [...]

Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez cut short a Sunday hearing on a resolution that would expand webcasting from the Senate floor, but Sanchez says the resolution isn’t dead, regardless of what others claim.
“It could come back up before the end of the session,” Sanchez, D-Belen, said in a phone interview.

The House voted 53 to 14 Sunday to allow individuals legally carrying concealed weapons to bring guns into restaurants that serve beer and wine, unless a restaurant opts out of the program.
A similar bill passed the Senate last week.

The Senate Rules Committee gave its approval Wednesday to legislation that would expand the number of cameras used in webcasting from the Senate floor. 

Two pieces of legislation that would expand webcasting in the Senate have been awaiting – but not yet receiving – hearings in the Senate Rules Committee. 

The House easily passed a memorial today that, if also approved by the Senate, will direct legislative staff to begin webcasting interim committee meetings held around the state.

House Speaker Ben Lujan’s bill to implement a temporary half-cent hike in the state’s gross receipts tax would presumably not have passed earlier today if two Republican members hadn’t missed the vote.

Members of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Thursday unanimously approved a bill that would allow official webcasting of interim committee meetings. House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, now heads to the House floor. It must also be approved by the Senate to be enacted.

The sponsors of two resolutions that would expand webcasting in the state House of Representatives say they’re confident their legislation will get a stamp of approval from the House Rules and Order of Business Committee on Friday.

After a couple of conversations this morning, I have some follow-up thoughts about a posting we published earlier today about State Rep. Jeff Steinborn’s webcasting legislation. 

State Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, wants to expand official legislative webcasting to interim committee meetings held around the state and make permanent a rule that allows webcasting of House committee meetings during sessions.
But, based on last year’s discussion that led to House rules governing webcasting, one of two related pieces of legislation Steinborn has [...]