I asked Gov. Bill Richardson directly about whether he'd sign the open conference committees bill at one press conference during the session and he said yes. And he's told reporters in the past he's for it, including, if memory serves, at a breakfast sponsored by either the NM Press Association or the Foundation for Open Government.
But it sounds like he might have changed his mind. Read this for the scoop.
If you think this issue is only about reporters, think again. For the very first open conference committee held the last morning of the session, there were more than reporters there, even though it was hastily convened and started minutes after it was announced (only) on the Senate floor.
And, don't forget the issue that arose out of that meeting -- one that we might not have heard about otherwise: it was the one that caused the major dust up between House Speaker Ben Lujan and Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Done, done and done!
The House and Senate have left the building.
Gotta say in my ten-plus years of covering the Legislature, the floor debates at the end were about as mild as I've seen. Many of the key issues were dealt with in recent days and last night.
However, there was a dust up between House Speaker Ben Lujan and Sen. John Arthur Smith over the amendment I mentioned in my previous blog. Smith during the conference committee said the Lujan amendment had a cloud of suspicion over it. The amendment -- now a moot point because it was taken off -- appears that it would have allowed financing for a project at the Santa Fe Railyard.
Lujan in an interview after the session strongly denied that he would gain anything from the amendment, which he said sponsored for a constituent. After the session ended, Lujan approached Smith on the Senate floor, angrily telling him "you're not worth a darn, that's what the matter with you, you are a racist S.O.B."
Smith reacted, saying "You’d like for people to have better control in public but I understand when you’re tired and spend a lot of time (working)."
Listen here to Lujan talking to Smith.
Gotta say in my ten-plus years of covering the Legislature, the floor debates at the end were about as mild as I've seen. Many of the key issues were dealt with in recent days and last night.
However, there was a dust up between House Speaker Ben Lujan and Sen. John Arthur Smith over the amendment I mentioned in my previous blog. Smith during the conference committee said the Lujan amendment had a cloud of suspicion over it. The amendment -- now a moot point because it was taken off -- appears that it would have allowed financing for a project at the Santa Fe Railyard.
Lujan in an interview after the session strongly denied that he would gain anything from the amendment, which he said sponsored for a constituent. After the session ended, Lujan approached Smith on the Senate floor, angrily telling him "you're not worth a darn, that's what the matter with you, you are a racist S.O.B."
Smith reacted, saying "You’d like for people to have better control in public but I understand when you’re tired and spend a lot of time (working)."
Listen here to Lujan talking to Smith.
|
Just more than three hours to go
The Senate is in session.
Senate Majority Leader MIchael Sanchez is joking that he just saw the members of the Senate, and well, he did. They stayed until about one this morning, the House stayed past three a.m.
The House spent much of its time on a debate that ultimately ended with the rejection of the so-called TIDD bills. The House also passed campaign contribution limits, The Senate at this moment is deciding whether to accept the amendments.
The most colorful thing I've seen so far this morning are the pajamas of the College of Santa Fe students who apparently spent the night outside to Roundhouse, waiting for the bill that would authorize a state takeover of the college to be heard. So far, no luck on that front. But with three hours to go, anything could happen.
Update, 10:15 a.m.
Sen. John Arthur Smith just announced a conference committee on SB 584. And he just invited the media. A historic moment. I'm going now...
Update, 10:47 a.m.
I've just returned from history in the making, an open conference committee. . . The meeting was hastily announced and very short, but still, several reporters, lobbyists and others were in the room.
The committee took up an amendment put on the bill, which deals with financing of charter schools among other projects. The amendment, put on by House Speaker Ben Lujan, raised the eyebrows of Smith, who questioned whether it was allowable. The committee took out that amendment. More info on that when I wake up enough to understand what it does.
Senate Majority Leader MIchael Sanchez is joking that he just saw the members of the Senate, and well, he did. They stayed until about one this morning, the House stayed past three a.m.
The House spent much of its time on a debate that ultimately ended with the rejection of the so-called TIDD bills. The House also passed campaign contribution limits, The Senate at this moment is deciding whether to accept the amendments.
The most colorful thing I've seen so far this morning are the pajamas of the College of Santa Fe students who apparently spent the night outside to Roundhouse, waiting for the bill that would authorize a state takeover of the college to be heard. So far, no luck on that front. But with three hours to go, anything could happen.
Update, 10:15 a.m.
Sen. John Arthur Smith just announced a conference committee on SB 584. And he just invited the media. A historic moment. I'm going now...
Update, 10:47 a.m.
I've just returned from history in the making, an open conference committee. . . The meeting was hastily announced and very short, but still, several reporters, lobbyists and others were in the room.
The committee took up an amendment put on the bill, which deals with financing of charter schools among other projects. The amendment, put on by House Speaker Ben Lujan, raised the eyebrows of Smith, who questioned whether it was allowable. The committee took out that amendment. More info on that when I wake up enough to understand what it does.
Friday, March 20, 2009
24 hours to go, 230 items on Senate calendar
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez just announced that there are 230 items to get to between now and Saturday's noon adjournment.
I won't do the math on that one, but it's a load.
"I don't know that we'll get through all of them," he said.
Over in the House, there are just as many. Too many to count probably. Sounds like that chamber plans to take up the Senate version of the so-called TIDD bills.
Now that it's past noon, there are less than 24 hours to go in this session. . .
I won't do the math on that one, but it's a load.
"I don't know that we'll get through all of them," he said.
Over in the House, there are just as many. Too many to count probably. Sounds like that chamber plans to take up the Senate version of the so-called TIDD bills.
Now that it's past noon, there are less than 24 hours to go in this session. . .
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Senate passes open conference committees, gov to sign
(Updated, 11 p.m. Thursday)
I know I've said this before and perhaps I do sound like a broken record. But the Senate tonight is set to consider a measure to open conference committees to the public, the media, who ever.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, told me his plan is to take up that measure shortly after the Senate comes back into session tonight. That's 6:30-7ish, according to him. Keep in mind, that's Senate time. . .
Still, indications are that this is the night for the bill to be heard, and the year for it to pass, although it's going to be close.
So why hasn't the Senate started up yet? Could be the fact that the Lobos are tied against Notre Dame at the moment...
Update, 7:20 p.m.
Well now that the Lobos game is over (sorry, Lobos) the Senate can start up again. And yes, the lady on the loudspeaker just asked all Senators to report to the chambers.
Update, 7:47 p.m.
The Senate is back.
The conference committees is number 65 on the Senate's supplemental calendar that was just handed out.
Update, 8:02 p.m.
Sanchez just said that the conference committees measure will be the last item on the agenda tonight. Don't think overnighter yet, though. He also said he wants to be out of here by 10 p.m. Key word: "wants."
Update, 9:15 p.m.
The Senate is starting that bill. Sen. Linda Lopez is presenting the measure.
Sanchez wants to know why the bill doesn't apply to other officials.
“Don’t you think the public deserves to be at those types of meeting where a Cabinet secretary is talking to their department heads?”
Sen. Mary Jane Garcia supports the measure.
"The public indeed demands that we have transparency," she said. "We need to do that if we are going to improve our image as state legislators."
Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings opposes the measure in part because it doesn't apply to all branches of government.
“If you want to do it to one, please do it to all three,” he said.
Jennings also said the measure should apply to members of the media, who ought to open their editorial board meetings to the public.
Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park, also opposes the bill.
“Things could change if we get into a situation if we’re not able to sit down and talk it out and that’s what you do in a conference committee.”
Getting close to a vote.
Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, is wrapping up.
"I think it’s the public that should be in there looking to see what is going on," she said.
VOTE: It passed 33-8.
Voting no were Sanchez, Jennings, and Sens. Stuart Ingle, Gay Kernan, Kent Cravens, Sue Wilson Beffort, Vernon Asbill and Phil Griego.
Feldman, after the vote, praised those who voted for it -- and those who pushed the measure for years, including former Foundation for Open Government director Bob Johnson.
"It was time," she said.
Gov. Bill Richardson said early today he'd sign the measure.
I know I've said this before and perhaps I do sound like a broken record. But the Senate tonight is set to consider a measure to open conference committees to the public, the media, who ever.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, told me his plan is to take up that measure shortly after the Senate comes back into session tonight. That's 6:30-7ish, according to him. Keep in mind, that's Senate time. . .
Still, indications are that this is the night for the bill to be heard, and the year for it to pass, although it's going to be close.
So why hasn't the Senate started up yet? Could be the fact that the Lobos are tied against Notre Dame at the moment...
Update, 7:20 p.m.
Well now that the Lobos game is over (sorry, Lobos) the Senate can start up again. And yes, the lady on the loudspeaker just asked all Senators to report to the chambers.
Update, 7:47 p.m.
The Senate is back.
The conference committees is number 65 on the Senate's supplemental calendar that was just handed out.
Update, 8:02 p.m.
Sanchez just said that the conference committees measure will be the last item on the agenda tonight. Don't think overnighter yet, though. He also said he wants to be out of here by 10 p.m. Key word: "wants."
Update, 9:15 p.m.
The Senate is starting that bill. Sen. Linda Lopez is presenting the measure.
Sanchez wants to know why the bill doesn't apply to other officials.
“Don’t you think the public deserves to be at those types of meeting where a Cabinet secretary is talking to their department heads?”
Sen. Mary Jane Garcia supports the measure.
"The public indeed demands that we have transparency," she said. "We need to do that if we are going to improve our image as state legislators."
Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings opposes the measure in part because it doesn't apply to all branches of government.
“If you want to do it to one, please do it to all three,” he said.
Jennings also said the measure should apply to members of the media, who ought to open their editorial board meetings to the public.
Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park, also opposes the bill.
“Things could change if we get into a situation if we’re not able to sit down and talk it out and that’s what you do in a conference committee.”
Getting close to a vote.
Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, is wrapping up.
"I think it’s the public that should be in there looking to see what is going on," she said.
VOTE: It passed 33-8.
Voting no were Sanchez, Jennings, and Sens. Stuart Ingle, Gay Kernan, Kent Cravens, Sue Wilson Beffort, Vernon Asbill and Phil Griego.
Feldman, after the vote, praised those who voted for it -- and those who pushed the measure for years, including former Foundation for Open Government director Bob Johnson.
"It was time," she said.
Gov. Bill Richardson said early today he'd sign the measure.
Richardson announces background check company to headquarter in Alamogordo
Gov. Bill Richardson has announced that PreCheck, Inc will locate its headquarters in Alamogordo. The company does background checks for people in the health care industry.
I wonder if the company can do checks on people whose nominations must go through the Senate Rules Committee, and save the Attorney General from having to do that work.
I wonder if the company can do checks on people whose nominations must go through the Senate Rules Committee, and save the Attorney General from having to do that work.
House has 99 items on calendar today
That's alot.
Let's just suppose they spend five minutes on each measure. That's 495 minutes -- or 8.5 hours. But you know if will be much longer than that. Still on the list are two TIDD bills -- likely to cause some of the longest debate this session.
Check out the agenda here.
(At the moment, the House is on a measure to make this Cowboy Day at the Roundhouse.)
So while it was the Senate who stayed up late last night, look for the House to be the moonlighting chamber today -- even though the Senate has 184 items on it's to-do list. Many of those, however, are memorials. Here's that agenda.
Update, 12:55 p.m.
Without taking action on any meaty items, the House is now in recess until 6 or 7 tonight.
Let's just suppose they spend five minutes on each measure. That's 495 minutes -- or 8.5 hours. But you know if will be much longer than that. Still on the list are two TIDD bills -- likely to cause some of the longest debate this session.
Check out the agenda here.
(At the moment, the House is on a measure to make this Cowboy Day at the Roundhouse.)
So while it was the Senate who stayed up late last night, look for the House to be the moonlighting chamber today -- even though the Senate has 184 items on it's to-do list. Many of those, however, are memorials. Here's that agenda.
Update, 12:55 p.m.
Without taking action on any meaty items, the House is now in recess until 6 or 7 tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)