Except as otherwise provided in this article, all meetings of a house of the Legislature or a committee thereof shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend the meetings. As used in this article, “meeting” means a gathering of a quorum of the members of a house or committee in one place for the purpose of discussing legislative or other official matters within the jurisdiction of the house or committee. As used in this article, “committee” includes a standing committee, joint committee, conference committee, subcommittee, select committee, special committee, research committee, or any similar body.