NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.



Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.





F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Lyons DATE TYPED: 01/27/01 HB
SHORT TITLE: Amend Legislative joint Rule 3-1 SB SCR 1
ANALYST: Burch


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
NFI NFI



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates House Concurrent Resolution 1



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC files



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 amends legislative Joint Rule 3-1 and requires that conference committee meetings shall be open to the public, except they may be closed during discussion of:



Significant Issues



Currently, conference committee meetings are closed to the public. Section 10-15-2 NMSA 1978 of the Open Meetings Act pertaining to meetings of the Legislature provides that:



"A. All meetings of a quorum of members of any committee or policymaking body of the state legislature held for the purpose of discussing public business or for the purpose of taking any action within the authority of or the delegated authority of such committee or body are declared to be public meetings open to the public at all times.



B. The provisions of Subsection A of this section shall not apply to matters relating to personnel, or matters adjudicatory in nature, or any bill, resolution or other legislative matter not yet presented to either house of the legislature or general appropriation bills.

C. For the purposes of this section, "meeting" means a gathering of the members called by the presiding officer of a standing committee."



Although state law currently provides that only those meetings called by the presiding officers of standing legislative committees are required to be open to the public, the law does not preclude the Legislature from adopting rules that meetings of committees other than standing committees be open.



DKB/njw