The existing webcam in the back of the Senate chamber. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
After cutting short Sunday’s hearing on a resolution to add more cameras on the Senate floor, majority leader says legislation “could” come up again
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.