On Aug. 20, the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico Senate held a publicly unannounced full senate meeting prior to previously scheduled and announced committee meetings. This meeting included the passing of a bill and confirming the appointment of three new senators.
This failure to alert the public to the existence and circumstances of a meeting where business regarding legislation could take place is in violation of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act, as well as the ASUNM Lawbook.
The New Mexico Open Meetings Act is part of the state’s Sunshine Laws that provide statutory guidelines for conducting public meetings, and ensure that public policy is made in meetings that are open to the public where members thereof are permitted to attend and listen to the deliberations and proceedings, according to UNM School of Law and the New Mexico Department of Justice…