Conference committee vote ‘probably’ coming tonight

The Senate will “probably” consider this evening a bill that would open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public, Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said today.

Sanchez made the comment while informing members of the Senate moments ago that they will have to come back for a second floor session this evening. In listing bills that will be considered this afternoon, he skipped over the conference committee bill, which is Senate Bill 737, sponsored by Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque.

Sanchez then said Feldman’s bill will “probably” be considered this evening.

The announcement from Sanchez comes after he has skipped over Feldman’s bill for three days. It’s up to the majority leader to bring items on the calendar up for debate. He has voted against opening conference committees to the public more than once in the past.

Feldman’s bill is a mirror of House Bill 393, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, which has passed the House and is currently awaiting a hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The House has approved Cervantes’ proposal several times in the past, but the Senate has resisted opening conference committees. Twice in 2007 — the last time the conference committee proposal came before the Legislature — the Senate shot it down by one vote. Changes in the Senate’s makeup that resulted from last year’s election have many believing the bill is more likely to pass this year.

Conference committees are groups of usually of three House members and three Senate members who are tasked with reconciling differences between versions bills that have passed both chambers. In addition to opening their meetings to the public, the bill would open many other currently closed legislative meetings, including executive sessions of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee.

Exempted from having to be open under the bill would be investigative or quasi-judicial meetings — such as impeachment proceedings — and political party caucus meetings.

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