HB 021: PUBLIC MEETING AGENDAS 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE

An Act Relating To The Open Meetings Act; Requiring Agendas To Be Available To The Public At Least Seventy-two Hours Prior To A Public Meeting; Requiring The Attorney General To Review A Public Body's Action On Emergency Matters.

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MOD HB 021
PUBLIC MEETING AGENDAS 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE

Legislative URL:

HB 021 on nmlegis.gov

Emergency Clause:

No

Germane:

N/A

Location:

Signed

Action:

HPREF [2] HVEC/HJC-HVEC [10] DP-HJC [20] DP/a [22] PASSED/H (59-0) [14] SRC/SJC-SRC [32] DP-SJC [44] DP [47] PASSED/S (31-0) SGND (Mar.27) Ch. 42.

Issue(s):

General Interest

Related Legislators

Bill Sponsor:

James Smith Daniel Ivey-Soto

Related Documents

Downloads:

Introduced
HVEC Committee Report
HJC Committee Report
Final House Vote
SRC Committee Report
SJC Committee Report
Final Senate Vote
Fiscal Impact Report
Final Version

Summary

This bill amends the Open Meetings Act with respect to agendas for public meetings. Under the bill, a public body (for example, the Water Quality Control Commission or the Game Commission) would have to make its meeting agenda available to the public 72 hours prior to a meeting and post the agenda to the body’s website. Current law requires agendas to made available only 24 hours in advance of a meeting, a potential obstacle to public participation.

The bill creates one exception to the 72-hour rule. If the public body regularly meets more often than once per week, the body must make a draft agenda available 72 in advance of a meeting and a final agenda available 36 hours before.

Current law also makes an exception for emergency meetings. However, the bill adds a new requirement for action on emergency matters by requiring that within 10 days of taking such action, the pubic body must report it and the circumstances creating the emergency to the Attorney General’s office.

One potential benefit of this bill might be that it would increase the transparency and public accessibility of meetings.

Outcome: HB 21 passed the House (59-0) and Senate (31-0), and was signed into law on March 27th, 2013.

Date of Summary:  1/16/13; Updated 5/16/13