101Scout
02-16-2007, 11:23 AM
Just look at this bill voted down by NM's Senate late last night! NO OPEN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE TO THE PUBLIC!
Resolutions and bills go into 'hidden' committees and comes out all re arranged without the observation or say by those who have direct concern of said bill or resolution. Is that a Democracy?
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SANTA FE (AP) - The Senate on Thursday defeated by a single vote a bill that would open legislative conference committees to the public.
The closed-door committees are often the places where the final decisions on important bills, including the annual state budget, are made.
"I think the integrity of the Legislature is at stake," said Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, the bill's sponsor.
"I don't believe we have a lot to hide, but I think it looks like it when we oppose this sort of measure so vigorously," she said.
The bill failed when 19 members voted for it and 20 against it.
Made up of small groups of lawmakers from both parties, conference committees are appointed by legislative leaders to come up with a compromise when the House and Senate approve differing versions of the same bill.
Some lawmakers who favor opening conference committees complain that the closed-door meetings exclude them, as well.
"It's not just a secret from the people. ... It's a secret from the other 106" lawmakers, said Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, who voted to open the meetings.
Sen. Cynthia Nava, D-Las Cruces, said citizens who advocate for issues spend weeks working on legislation, only to "have a bill go into a conference committee and come out 30 minutes later a whole new animal."
But Sen. Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, objected that the proposal amounted to "an invasion into our branch of government by the executive."
He said it would open conference committees to the governor, who could then retaliate against lawmakers for comments or decisions he didn't like.
Jennings also said it would drive decision-making further underground.
"Decisions are probably going to end up being made in other rooms, somewhere else," he said.
Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, also objected to opening the meetings, saying lawmakers are sometimes hesitant to say what they believe for fear of being misquoted or having their statements used against them by political enemies.
Resolutions and bills go into 'hidden' committees and comes out all re arranged without the observation or say by those who have direct concern of said bill or resolution. Is that a Democracy?
[Only registered and activated users can see links]
SANTA FE (AP) - The Senate on Thursday defeated by a single vote a bill that would open legislative conference committees to the public.
The closed-door committees are often the places where the final decisions on important bills, including the annual state budget, are made.
"I think the integrity of the Legislature is at stake," said Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, the bill's sponsor.
"I don't believe we have a lot to hide, but I think it looks like it when we oppose this sort of measure so vigorously," she said.
The bill failed when 19 members voted for it and 20 against it.
Made up of small groups of lawmakers from both parties, conference committees are appointed by legislative leaders to come up with a compromise when the House and Senate approve differing versions of the same bill.
Some lawmakers who favor opening conference committees complain that the closed-door meetings exclude them, as well.
"It's not just a secret from the people. ... It's a secret from the other 106" lawmakers, said Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, who voted to open the meetings.
Sen. Cynthia Nava, D-Las Cruces, said citizens who advocate for issues spend weeks working on legislation, only to "have a bill go into a conference committee and come out 30 minutes later a whole new animal."
But Sen. Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, objected that the proposal amounted to "an invasion into our branch of government by the executive."
He said it would open conference committees to the governor, who could then retaliate against lawmakers for comments or decisions he didn't like.
Jennings also said it would drive decision-making further underground.
"Decisions are probably going to end up being made in other rooms, somewhere else," he said.
Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, also objected to opening the meetings, saying lawmakers are sometimes hesitant to say what they believe for fear of being misquoted or having their statements used against them by political enemies.