The Senate originally approved a proposal to open conference committees to the public today, but following confusion and a motion for a new vote, it’s now reconsidering the issue.
Senate Bill 322, sponsored by Joe Carraro, R-Albuquerque, originally passed on a vote of 19-18, according to Kate Nash of the Albuquerque Tribune. A similar bill was killed on a vote of 20-19 two weeks ago.
Following today’s vote, Sen. Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, made a motion to reconsider, Nash reported. Apparently, some who planned to vote against the bill weren’t in the chambers at the time.
The motion to reconsider passed on a vote of 21-20.
Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, who voted against opening conference committees two weeks ago, is away on a family emergency and will miss the vote, so this one may also be defeated by one vote.
The Senate is just taking the issue up again, Nash tells me. I’ll have an update as soon as I know what’s going on.
Update, 3:55 p.m.
I erroneously reported in the original version of this posting that Papen voted against the bill. She apparently voted for the bill to open conference committees, then made the motion to reconsider the Senate’s vote. Two weeks ago, she voted against a similar bill, and, in a conversation since, she has reiterated to me that she opposes opening conference committees to the public.
Papen is a little busy debating right now, so I can’t reach her for comment.
Update, 4:11 p.m.
The debate has once again become a press-bashing festival, Steve Terrell of the Santa Fe New Mexican is reporting.
Update, 4:25 p.m.
Here’s a list of Senators who voted against the bill earlier this afternoon, according to Nash. I don’t have a list of who voted for it or who was absent.
Those voting against the bill: Ben Altamirano, Vernon Asbill, Sue Wilson Beffort, Carlos Cisneros, Phil Griego, John Grubesic, Clinton Harden, Stuart Ingle, Tim Jennings, Gay Kernan, Steve Komadina, John Pinto, Lidio Rainaldi, Leonard Lee Rawson, Bernadette Sanchez, Michael Sanchez, John Arthur Smith and David Ulibarri.
Komadina and Rawson were absent for the vote two weeks ago. Ulibarri and Pinto voted to open conference committees two weeks ago, but have apparently switched sides.