HOUSE BILL 90

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Cathrynn N. Brown

AN ACT

RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE INTERIM COMMITTEES; ESTABLISHING A PILOT PROJECT TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF ALLOWING COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ATTEND COMMITTEE MEETINGS BY VIDEOCONFERENCE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--LEGISLATIVE INTERIM COMMITTEES--VIDEOCONFERENCING PILOT PROJECT.--

          A. The New Mexico legislative council, in conjunction with interim committee chairpersons, shall establish a pilot project to determine the efficacy of allowing committee members to attend meetings by real-time videoconference when meetings are held at the state capitol or other location at which acceptable videoconferencing capability is readily available. The New Mexico legislative council shall ask at least five interim committees to participate in the pilot project. The New Mexico legislative council, in conjunction with the chairpersons of the selected committees, shall determine:

                (1) whether participation should be limited to advisory members;

                (2) whether there should be limits on the number of members participating by videoconference at any one meeting;

                (3) the acceptable quality of necessary hardware and software to ensure that other committee members and the public attending a committee meeting can see and hear videoconferencing members; and

                (4) whether there should be other restrictions on participation to ensure that the quality of committee meetings is not negatively affected.

          B. Videoconferencing committee members shall not receive per diem and mileage expenses for attendance at a meeting through videoconferencing.

          C. The legislative council service shall manage the pilot project and shall report to the New Mexico legislative council by December 31, 2012 on the success of the pilot project, including findings and recommendations. The legislative council service shall survey committee members and the public to determine if the dynamic of committee meetings is negatively affected by members participating via technological interface. Among its findings, the legislative council service shall provide detailed information on the need for hardware and software upgrades to the state capitol to make videoconferencing successful for committees and the public.

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