Arnold-Jones to carry webcasting legislation.

Gubernatorial Candidate Rep Janice Arnold-Jones laid out her legislative proposals before her Saturday Morning Office Hours discussion group last Saturday.

The proposals are tentative at this point. As is her style, she is soliciting input from stakeholders before finalizing her proposals.


I would like to speak to one proposal in particular.

Arnold-Jones intends to introduce legislation that would require the webcasting of interim committee meetings of legislators. Interim committee meetings are those meetings of legislators that occur between legislative sessions.

They say, talk is cheap. It will be interesting to see who is willing to put aside intra-party and inter-party rivalries in order support Arnold-Jones continuing effort to bring the New Mexico Legislature into the 21st century.

This particular session of the legislature is in theory, limited to budget consideration. In practice, the Governor can put anything he wants on the agenda.

Somewhere among the fifty states, there is the legislature that does the absolute best job of "webcasting", and not just webcasting, but every other endeavor to bring stakeholders into the decision making that affects their interests.

Is there any reason New Mexico cannot become that state and set the standard for the other 49?

The answer is, not really, except for the foot dragging of legislators who really don't want to include the people in the spending of their power and resources.

And except for the people who will do nothing in support of
this much needed legislation, simply because the legislation
is being carried by a "Republican".




photo Mark Bralley