45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

AMENDING LEGISLATIVE JOINT RULE 3-1 PERTAINING TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEES.

WHEREAS, Legislative Joint Rule 8-1 requires that joint rules may be adopted, amended or repealed by concurrent resolution approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, that the following Joint Rule 3-1 be amended to read:

"CONFERENCE COMMITTEES (3-1)

If one house refuses to concur in the amendments made to its bill by the other house, the chief clerk shall notify the house making the amendments of that refusal to concur and ask that it recede from its amendments. If the amending house refuses to recede from its amendments, a conference committee, consisting of three members from each house, shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker of the house. Conference committee meetings shall be open to the public; provided that conference committee meetings may be closed to the public upon a vote of the committee to discuss personnel issues or issues related to pending litigation, prison security or the purchase, acquisition or disposal of real property or water rights. The time and place of open conference committee meetings shall be announced in open session on the floor of each house.  The conference committee shall meet at a time and place to be mutually agreed upon by the committee members, and when agreement on the amendments in dispute has been reached, the members shall report to their respective houses, or if agreement has not been reached, they shall report that fact to their respective houses. No new item shall be presented as an amendment for inclusion in the conference committee report unless the item has been the subject of a legislative committee hearing during the session. Voting in the conference committee shall be by the respective houses, and a majority of the membership from each house is required for adoption of a recommendation or a motion to close the meeting. The report of the conference committee shall not be subject to amendment in either house. The report of the conference committee shall always be in order except during a roll call or when a question of order or a motion to adjourn is pending.".