Gov. Bill Richardson appears to have second thoughts about signing a bill that would open the New Mexico Legislature's conference committees to the public and the media.

Advocates for more than a decade tried to open the doors of the meetings at which Senate and House members work out differences in legislation passed by each chamber, such as the state budget.

A measure that cleared the Legislature this year (HB393) is slightly different from those introduced in the past. It includes wording that would allow lawmakers to override the law and again close the meetings by adopting a joint House and Senate rule. Such a change takes a two-thirds majority.

Richardson said twice this session he would sign the bill. He also has made past statements in support of such a measure, including to members of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the New Mexico Press Association, of which The New Mexican is a member.

Spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a statement Tuesday, "While the governor is supportive of the concept of opening conference committees to the public, he is taking the time to scrutinize the final bill passed by the Legislature. The governor also wants to hear all sides of the issue, including the rationale for allowing the Legislature to close committee meetings without changing the law."

Dana Bowley, executive director of the Press Association, said Richardson has told members of press groups multiple times that if such a proposal got to his desk, he would sign it.

"We are well aware of the 'joint rule' loophole, but we have what we have right now," he said, "and it's something we can improve on in future years. That's how the open meetings and open records laws were built, and now they're among the best in the nation. We implore the governor to sign this bill. If he doesn't, we think the chances of opening conference committees to the public — something he has consistently supported — will be dead for years at least."

Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, who carried the bill this year in the Senate and has worked on the issue for several years, said she hopes Richardson keeps his word.

If the bill becomes law, she said, changing the legislative rule to again close conference committees wouldn't come easy.

"It would require a two-thirds vote," she said. "It's not like it can be changed on a whim."

Already, one conference committee has been opened to the public. From that meeting emerged a spat between House Speaker Ben Luján, D-Nambé, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, over an amendment Luján had tacked onto a Senate bill. The amendment, which the Senate removed, could have directed public help in financing a stalled movie theater project at the city-owned Santa Fe Railyard.

Contact Kate Nash at knash@sfnewmexican.com or 986-3036. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com