N.M. PRC Aims to Boost Transparency With Meetings Changes

The New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission revised its open meetings policy in an effort to enhance transparency, efficiency and productivity, the agency said Friday. The commission will meet every other Thursday at 10 a.m., rather than weekly on Wednesdays as it does now, and informational and open special meetings will be scheduled as needed, the PRC said. Closed deliberative meetings will be scheduled as needed every other Thursday on weeks regular meetings aren’t held, it said. The changes are meant to give commissioners and staff more time to review proposed orders and agency attorneys more time to brief PRC members, the agency said. Commissioner Gabriel Aguilera “requested an evaluation for the appropriate frequency for this Commission’s open meetings and to add structure and improve our internal procedures, so that Commissioners are as prepared as possible to decide the important issues that affect the industries we regulate, stakeholders, and everyday New Mexicans,” he said. “The goal is to offer consistency and predictability. For most proceedings the public should have a pretty good sense on how we are going to rule, and for me that means we are making decisions based on the law and on precedent.” Commissioner James Ellison sees “a lot of advantages to having more time to consider matters, being able to edit orders, get feedback from other commissioners, and have time to write a dissent or something in agreement to provide a different slant on the issue,” he said.