Horowitz has more cash than O’Neill in District 15

Democratic Rep. Bill O’Neill, D-Albuquerque, raised more than $13,000 from June 25 through last week, according to a campaign finance report filed Monday. While he spent $19,000, using some of the $30,807 he had on hand at the start of the period, O’Neill still has more than $25,000 on hand heading into the election, according to his report.  He’ll need it apparently. His Republican challenger, Justin Horowitz, raised $10,275 and spent $5,294.04. But Horowitz has a sizable war chest heading into November, with $31,000 on hand, his report shows.

Doyle keeps pace with Rodefer in District 23

Democratic Rep. Ben Rodefer raised just over $21,000 and spent $4,600, his report shows. Heading into November, Rodefer has $20,197 on hand, according to his report. His Republican challenger, David Doyle, kept pace, raising $21,000 this period while spending $5,600, according to his report. But Doyle had more money to begin with, so leading into November Doyle has more than $34,200 on hand – a $14,000 advantage over Rodefer.

Gentry has $44k to fight Giannini in District 30

Democratic Rep. Karen Giannini is on the Republicans’ hit list after she took out veteran GOP lawmaker Justine Fox-Young in 2008, perhaps the biggest surprise of that election cycle. Giannini’s campaign finance report was not on the Secretary of State’s website as of Tuesday morning. Candidates are able to apply for a hardship waiver, allowing them to file their reports in paper form. Perhaps Giannini went that route. Her Republican challenger, Nate Gentry, filed a report showing he’s raised $16,740 this period, while spending $15,351. Because Gentry started the period with $43,000, he has about $44,000 cash on hand. That’s a sizable war chest for a state House race.

McMillan raises twice as much as Steinborn in District 37

Democratic State Rep. Jeff Steinborn raised $8,975.00 this period and spent nearly $7,000. That left Steinborn with $17,000 on hand, significantly less than his Republican opponent. Republican Terry McMillan, who’s aiming to unseat Steinborn, raised $16,750.00 during this reporting period, spending only $3,880, Monday’s campaign finance report shows. But McMillan has $29,387.53 on hand, according to his report.

Lewis competes against Thomas in District 60

Democratic Rep. Jack Thomas’ campaign finance report was not on the Secretary of State’s website Tuesday morning, but his Republican opponent, Timothy Lewis, filed on time. His report showed contributions of more than $9,000 and $4,000 in spending, leaving him with $5,000 on hand.

Many lawmakers waited in the House and Senate chambers Monday as the expected start time for the 2010 special session came and went. At the heart of the delay, and the debate, is how to fix the state’s budget gap.

“The barriers to getting a budget are no different today than they were at the end of the regular session,” said Rep. Roch.

The divide between tax increases and budget cuts are just two of the disagreements among lawmakers. Among those who are looking at tax increases there are also divisions over how to raise them.

“There’s definitely folks who philosophically agree and disagree with parts of the package and we still see that,” said Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces.

“We’re doing what I think people expect, we’re duking it out over the details,” Steinborn said. All the divisions and factions lead to the question of whether or not lawmakers can get the job done in time. They have budgeted for three days of the special session but no one seems to know exactly how long it all will take, ”That is the million dollar question, actually the $50,000-a-day question,” said Rep. Steinborn.

In the video below, Reps. Steinborn and Roch discuss the special session, where its going and why, so far its not going there very fast:

Instead, as pointed out by Sen. Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque and others, Sanchez, who controls the Senate calendar, spent much of the end of the session calling up various memorials for debate. Then the Senate spent the better part of the last hour debating one House bill and more than one proposed amendment to that bill from Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell.

“We’re hearing memorials instead of the ethics and transparency bills,” Griego wrote on The New Mexico Independent’s live blog before the start of debate on the House bill Adair tried to amend. “No idea why we aren’t passing some ethics and transparency bills. Besides being shortsighted, politically bad for the Dems for sure.”

Dead at the end of the session, though they spent the final day on the Senate calendar, were:

• Senate Resolution 1, sponsored by Sanchez, which would have expanded webcasting by increasing the number of cameras on the Senate floor.

• House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, which would have directed Legislative Council Service to begin webcasting interim committee meetings except where technological barriers prevent it.

• Senate Bill 43, sponsored by Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, which would have created a state ethics commission.

Though Lopez’s bill had already lost the support of many activists who have pushed for the creation of an ethics commission because of its secrecy provisions, today’s would have been the first Senate floor debate on an ethics commission ever.

Sanchez said several times during the day that the bill was coming up for debate, then never actually brought it up for debate.

The House, by contrast, approved the controversial ethics commission bill and dramatically expanded webcasting in that chamber during this session.

Update, 3  p.m.

Sarah Welsh, executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, had this to say:

“The extra Senate cameras would have been an improvement, but I think the real victory would have been webcasting of Senate committees. So I was disappointed to see that resolution stall in committee, and I hope they’ll revive it next year,” she said. “Considering the sea change that we saw between last year and this year, I’m hoping that next year they’ll open everything up completely and I’ll be out of a job. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“The ethics commission was tough,” she said. “I think the sponsors genuinely want to have a commission that can address ethical violations fairly, but you run into so many different obstacles.”

“Coming in, I had completely underestimated how much fear there is that a commission will open the floodgates for nasty, false, reputation-ruining accusations. That fear informed the entire debate about confidentiality, which was our big concern,” she said. “It’s not an unreasonable fear, since some people probably would abuse the process. You know, my reputation is on the line too – I’m a lobbyist, so the commission would have jurisdiction over me. I’m pretty sure an ethical complaint against the FOG director would get a lot of attention, and I’d be ruined.”

“So I get it. But that deep emotional response, which was palpable during all the ethics-commission discussions, makes it difficult to have a reasoned debate about what’s ultimately best for restoring the public trust and exposing unethical behavior,” Welsh said.

Update, 3:20 p.m.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish had this to say:

“After all of the talk and posturing, it’s simply unconscionable that the Legislature would walk away without passing a bill to establish a non-partisan, independent ethics commission,” she said. “This is exactly why many New Mexicans have lost faith in their government. We need a new way of doing business in Santa Fe and we need it now.”

Sanchez’s resolution would expand webcasting by allowing the installation of more than one camera on the Senate floor to give viewers a more complete view of the chamber. And Steinborn’s memorial would direct Legislative Council Service to begin webcasting interim committee meetings, except where technological barriers prevent it.

One other webcasting resolution was introduced in the Senate – Senate Resolution 4, sponsored by Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque, which would expand webcasting to include Senate committees – but the bill is languishing in the Senate Rules Committee without having even been scheduled for a hearing.

Griego intends to propose that his resolution be added to Sanchez’s as an amendment. There was an incident on Sunday over that when Sanchez brought his resolution up for debate but Griego wasn’t present.

Sanchez, who controls the Senate calendar, has said his resolution “could” come up again before the session ends Thursday at noon.

The memorial, which was passed today as part of a consent calendar vote, would direct legislative staff to implement webcasting of interim committee meetings held around the state except where technological barriers prevent it. Because it’s already passed the House, the legislation would be enacted if it makes its way through the Senate.

The session ends at noon on Thursday.

Still lingering in Senate Rules without being scheduled for a hearing is Sen. Eric Griego’s legislation – Senate Resolution 4 – which would expand webcasting to include Senate committees. And awaiting a hearing on the Senate floor is Senate Resolution 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez.

Because Rules Committee Chair Linda Lopez hasn’t scheduled Griego’s legislation for a hearing, Griego intends to propose his resolution be added to Sanchez’s as an amendment on the Senate floor if Sanchez calls his own resolution up for a hearing.

Fischmann was involved in efforts to reform the Land Office as a private citizen before he became a state senator, working in tandem with Steinborn and Cote to urge the attorney general and state auditor to scrutinize the land office. Then, in 2009 the three proposed a package of legislation aimed at reforming the land office.

“Ray Powell is the reform candidate. He’s who I trust. It’s no question that we need him back at the Land Office,” said Senator Steve Fischmann in a statement released by the Powell campaign.

“The stakes are high. With Ray, he’ll bring much needed stability back to the Land Office,” said Rep. Jeff Steinborn.  “He’s ethical, principled and knows how to work with communities to maximize the dollars returned to the land office and ultimately our schools.”

And, Representative Nate Cote said, “When Ray Powell served as land commissioner, he was recognized for running one of the best land management agencies in the country. Right now, the Land Office is in crisis, and we are desperately in need of leadership we can trust.”

Powell, a veterinarian and regional director of the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation in the western United States, served as Land Commissioner from 1993-2002. His opponents in the Democratic primary are Sandy Jones, Harry Montoya, and Mike Anaya.

In the statement released today, he presented a reform platform for the Land Office, which includes public meetings for any land exchange, lease or sale; a local land approval process for any long-term leases of state land; joint planning agreements with municipalities and counties where there is state land; a revamp of the Land Office Web site to achieve greater transparency and accountability; a conflict of interest process for employees at the Land Office; and the adoption of public financing for elections of the commissioner of public lands.

The existing webcam in the back of the Senate chamber. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)

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.

Currently, Senate floor webcasting includes one camera placed at the back of the chamber. Senate Resolution 1, of which Sanchez is the sponsor, would allow the installation of additional cameras to give viewers a more complete view of the chamber.

Sanchez, who controls the Senate calendar, brought the resolution up for a vote Sunday evening. Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, asked for a brief delay so he could find Sen. Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque, who was excused from the floor but had intended to propose an amendment to Sanchez’s resolution that would expand webcasting to include Senate committees.

After a brief exchange with McSorley, Sanchez pulled the resolution and went on to another piece of legislation.

Later, Griego sent out a news release headlined “Democratic leader kills webcasting bill.”

“Sadly, the biggest obstacle to transparency in the New Mexico Senate has been the Democratic leadership,” Griego said in the release. “Last session, the Democratic leadership orchestrated the gutting of webcasting on the Senate floor by restricting webcasting to one camera, which only shows part of the floor activity.”

Sanchez: Resolution still on Senate calendar

Griego said his news release came after Sanchez told McSorley that SR1 was dead. In an interview, McSorley said that’s exactly what Sanchez told him.

“Michael Sanchez told me that he was no longer going to proceed with the bill… for the session. He said the bill is dead,” McSorley said.

Sanchez said that’s not true. He said he cut the hearing short not to kill the resolution, but because a senator who wanted to propose an amendment wasn’t present.

“Senator McSorley hears what he wants to hear. He likes publicity,” Sanchez said. “They’re making a big to-do about nothing. (The resolution) is on our calendar. It stays on our calendar.”

Asked if he was saying the resolution “would” or “could” come up again for a Senate vote before the end of the session, Sanchez said it “could.” Because it’s a Senate rule change, it doesn’t need House approval, so there’s plenty of time for it to pass before the session ends at noon on Thursday – if Sanchez brings it up again for consideration.

Other webcasting legislation languishing in Senate Rules

Griego has proposed his own legislation – Senate Resolution 4 – that would expand webcasting to include Senate committees. But the resolution hasn’t been scheduled for a hearing by Senate Rules Committee Chair Linda Lopez, who has twice not answered my question about when she’ll give it a hearing.

Because of that, Griego proposed on Saturday, during a meeting of the Senate Public Affairs Committee, adding his resolution as an amendment to Sanchez’s resolution. Griego’s proposal failed, but Sanchez’s resolution – without the Griego amendment – was given a do-pass recommendation.

That set the stage for today’s situation on the Senate floor.

Sanchez said he wasn’t aware of Griego’s resolution and Griego didn’t notify him in advance that he planned to propose an amendment to SR1.

Also languishing in Lopez’s committee without being scheduled for a hearing is House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, which would expand webcasting to include interim committee meetings.

Lopez has also not responded to my question about when that legislation, which has already passed the House, will get a hearing.

A similar bill passed the Senate last week.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. John Heaton, D-Carlsbad, provoked a debate on the House floor over the exact circumstances allowing someone with a concealed weapon to patronize a restaurant that serves beer and wine.

One of the sticking points was alcohol consumption.

“So they can consume alcohol,” Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, asked Heaton.

“They cannot be inebriated or impaired if they are legally carrying a concealed weapon,” Heaton responded.

Steinborn repeatedly asked if an armed person could drink.

And Heaton repeatedly answered the same way; an individual cannot be inebriated.

Heaton told his colleagues the legislative change was needed because individuals legally carrying concealed weapons are having their weapons stolen after leaving them in vehicles when going out to eat with their families.

Heaton acknowledged that he didn’t have statistics to back up his assertion, but added that the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office testified that such thefts are a problem.

Restaurants could opt out of allowing concealed weapon permit holders onto their premises by putting up a sign, Heaton said.

He added that concealed weapons permit holders couldn’t patronize restaurants that serve liquor in addition to beer and wine. The penalty for doing so is a fourth-degree felony, Heaton said.

Heaton added that permit holders must go through competency training every two years.

Opponents stressed the possible violence emanating from such a state law.

“My concern is that we don’t revert to the Old West … where things can escalate and 18 people whip out guns and we have a shootout,” said Rep. Benjamin Rodefer, D-Corrales.

Rep. Antonio Lujan, D-Las Cruces, added that he didn’t see the wisdom of allowing guns into yet another area in a country so violent.

But Rep. Kathy McCoy, R-Cedar Crest, said that individuals with concealed weapons permits are taught in training to not pull the weapon out indiscriminately.

“They teach you to be extremely, extremely responsible,” McCoy said. “The only time you would pull out your gun is if your life is in danger. I think people who are opposed to this don’t know the training is the key issue here.”

The House bill now goes to the Senate.

Senate Resolution 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, passed without opposition and now heads to the Senate Public Affairs Committee before it can be voted on by the full Senate.

Currently, Senate floor webcasting includes one camera placed at the back of the chamber. The rule change would allow the installation of additional cameras to give viewers a more complete view of the chamber.

Approval of the resolution came after several activists spoke in favor of the legislation. Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, complained that the other branches of government aren’t being pushed to join the Legislature in webcasting public meetings.

“If it’s good enough for one branch, it’s good enough for all branches,” Jennings said. “… I don’t understand why we just don’t webcast every court and webcast every cabinet meeting.”

Executive branch cabinet meetings are not public meetings under state law because they’re not subject to the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.

Two other pieces of legislation that would expand webcasting are awaiting hearings in the Rules Committee but have not yet appeared on the committee’s schedule. Chair Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, has not responded to my question about when they will be scheduled.

Those pieces of legislation are Senate Resolution 4, sponsored by Eric Griego, D-Albuquerque, and House Joint Memorial 15, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces.

Griego’s resolution would expand audio and video webcasting to include Senate committee meetings held during sessions. Steinborn’s memorial would expand webcasting to include interim committee meetings.