House members seek compromise on proposals to open conference committees to the public

Several House members have been actively seeking a way to get their colleagues to agree to open legislative conference committees to the public, and a new version of legislation will be unveiled later today.

House Bill 297, sponsored by State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, would amend the New Mexico Open Meetings Act to open conference committees to the public. A similar bill in the Senate, sponsored by Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque – Senate Bill 288 – is also moving through committees.

Feldman’s bill was approved last week on a 4-2 vote in the Rules Committee, and now moves to the Public Affairs Committee.

Cervantes’ bill was approved last week unanimously by members of the Health and Governmental Affairs Committee, but was tabled by the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday following a lengthy discussion.

Committee members Ken Martinez, D-Grants and the House majority leader, and Dan Foley, R-Roswell and the House minority leader, have introduced their own proposals – House Resolution 2 from Foley and House Concurrent Resolution 1 from Martinez – that would, instead of amending the statute, change legislative rules to open conference committees.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Cervantes argued that a statutory change is necessary because a rule that conflicts with the Open Meetings Act might not hold up. As a result of the discussion of that and other issues, Cervantes will introduce changes to his bill today that would allow conference committees to meet behind closed doors for exemptions granted to other governmental bodies in the act, including the discussion of threatened or pending litigation, real estate and personnel.

The changes to the bill will also specifically exempt caucus meetings, allowing them to remain secret.

Martinez said he hopes the Judiciary Committee will compare his resolution with the bills proposed by Cervantes and Feldman, “then come up with a comprehensive bill.” If the committee approves the bill, it will go to the House floor for a vote.

Cervantes believes House members will find compromise, but said the Senate is another matter. Its members voted to kill Feldman’s bill in 2006.

“I think the chances of it getting to the House floor are good. I think the chances in the House are going to be good,” Cervantes said. “I think the challenge is going to be in the Senate, but we’ll take it one battle at a time.”