This year brings a landmark for the Sunlight Foundation. We've been hinting for some time that we're going to make a serious play in state government, and New Mexico is one of the first where we'll focus those efforts. As my colleague Noah wrote earlier this month, the state's House of Representatives has voted to expand the presence of webcams in its proceedings. It was an early sign during the 2010 legislative session that New Mexico's lawmakers are beginning to take open government seriously. It was a also welcome sign, but when the session ended last week it was clear that open-government advocates will remain busy in the 2011 session.
The state has been plagued by corruption and ethics investigations in recent years, and while the Sunlight Foundation doesn't have a dog in that particular fight we do recognize (and support) the role transparency can play in helping citizens hold their elected officials accountable. From Sunlight's perspective, there are a number of interesting questions raised by New Mexico's legislature and the "state of transparency" there, some unique to the Land of Enchantment and some that will be applicable in other locales as well. For starters, the state legislature is part time--they just completed a 30-day session (every other year it's 60 days). That's true for many states, but in New Mexico legislators aren't paid for their work in Santa Fe. It also means lawmakers have precious little time to consider legislation. As you're aware, the Sunlight Foundation has long called on Congress to post legislation online for 72 hours prior to a vote. How would such a rule be feasible in a short legislative session like the one underway in New Mexico?
Read the rest here.