House conference committee bills to be heard today

The House proposals to open legislative conference committees to the public, the last chance this session for such a change, are scheduled to be heard by a House committee today.

House Bill 297, sponsored by State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, and House Concurrent Resolution 1, sponsored by Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants, are scheduled to be heard by the Appropriations and Finance Committee this afternoon.

If they’re approved there, the proposals go to the full House for a vote, and would then go to the Senate, which has twice killed similar proposals this session, each time by one vote.

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.