House votes to open conference committees

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On a vote of 53-5, the House has just passed a bill that would open legislative conference committees to the public.

With 10 days remaining in the session, House Bill 297, sponsored by State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, now heads to the Senate, which has twice killed similar proposals by one vote this session.

The House is set to vote later today on a second but different proposal to open conference committees, House Concurrent Resolution 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants.

Cervantes’ proposal would amend the New Mexico Open Meetings Act to require that conference committees be open meetings, unless the House and Senate provide for exemptions in their joint rules. It specifically exempts caucus meetings and meetings of panels investigating ethical conduct of members.

Martinez’s proposal, instead of amending the act, proposes rules changes to open committees, and allows closed meetings for the exemptions provided in the act – the discussion of real estate transactions, personnel matters or threatened or pending litigation – and also for “good cause,” which would be decided by members of the committee.

I’ll have updates for you, including who voted against Cervantes’ bill and what happens with Martinez’s bill, later today, so check back.

Update, 2:10 p.m.

Here’s how the vote went on Cervantes’ bill:

Those voting for the bill

Thomas Anderson

Paul Bandy

Elias Barela

Andrew Barreras

Richard Berry

Donald Bratton

Jose Campos

Joseph Cervantes

Gail Chasey

Ernest Chavez

Nate Cote

Anna Crook

Nora Espinoza

Candy Ezzell

Dan Foley

Justine Fox-Young

Mary Helen Garcia

Miguel Garcia

Tomas Garcia

Keith Gardner

Bobby Gonzales

William Gray

Joni Gutierrez

George Hanosh

John Heaton

Manuel Herrera

Dona Irwin

Rhonda King

Larry Larranaga

Antonio Lujan

Patricia Lundstrom

Antonio Maestas

Ken Martinez

Kathy McCoy

Brian Moore

Andy Nuñez

Al Park

Danice Picraux

Debbie Rodella

Jeff Steinborn

Mimi Stewart

James Strickler

Thomas Swisstack

Thomas Taylor

Don Tripp

Jim Trujillo

Shirley Tyler

Gloria Vaughn

Richard Vigil

W.C. Williams

Peter Wirth

Eric Youngberg

Teresa Zanetti

Those voting against the bill

Ben Lujan

James Roger Magdalena

Edward Sandoval

Daniel Silva

Sheryl Williams Stapleton

Absent

Janice Arnold-Jones

Ray Begaye

Jimmie Hall

Dianne Hamilton

Irvin Harrison

Rick Miera

Jane Powdrell-Culbert

William Rehm

Kiki Saavedra

Nick Salazar

Lucky Varela

Jeannette Wallace

Update, 3:20 p.m.

Martinez’s resolution passed the Senate today on a vote of 63-2, with only James Roger Magdalena and Sheryl Williams Stapleton voting against it.

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