The House Rules and Order of Business Committee decided today to create a subcommittee to study the issue of whether to allow webcasting of House proceedings.
The vote to do that followed discussion of House Resolution 2, a proposal from Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants, and Minority Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, that would explicitly allow webcasting of committee meetings — but only if the chair of the committee in question allows it.
The Rules Committee gave no timetable for its subcommittee to report back on webcasting, so the move effectively stops the Martinez/Taylor bill in its tracks for the time being.
The move comes after Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones webcast live audio and video from the House Taxation and Revenue Committee on Monday.
Today’s creation of the subcommittee, according to The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Kate Nash, came after an hour of debate, with some members arguing that webcasting creates openness and others saying the video could be used for political purposes.
Arnold-Jones released a statement after the committee meeting expressing support for the Martinez/Taylor proposal.
“I am extremely disappointed the Rules Committee failed to come to a conclusion about broadcasting legislative sessions,” Arnold-Jones said. “… Broadcasting committee meetings and sessions allow those unable to physically come to the Capital to still be a part of the political process. I commend my colleagues who support HR 2 and hope they continue the fight for more access and transparency.”
At today’s meeting, House Speaker Ben Lujan said he’s not opposed to webcasting. The reality is this: Though the Legislature appropriated capital outlay funds in 2005 for the purpose of purchasing and installing the equipment to webcast, the House portion of that appropriation expired last year — three years later — without having been spent.
Meanwhile, Senate leaders — most of them openly opposed to webcasting — spent their portion of the funding and have the equipment on hand, though they currently refuse to begin webcasting.
Who controls the House? The speaker, of course.