Students showed up for their passion projects this week, while fissures around criminal justice system issues deepened as New Mexico lawmakers wrapped up their second full week of the 2023 legislative session, which kicked off Jan. 17.
Here’s a recap of some of the major stories this week:
From the kids
Lawmakers heard from two batches of passionate youngsters this week. Albuquerque Academy seniors Noor Ali, Sophia Liem and Mireya Macías researched, lobbied and helped draft House Bill 134, which would require New Mexico public schools to stock free tampons and other feminine hygiene products in their bathrooms. Meanwhile, fifth-grade students from Monte Vista Elementary School in Las Cruces served as expert witnesses for Senate Bill 188, which would enshrine the scent of green chile roasting in the fall as the state’s official aroma.
Money in your pocket?
A bill providing $750 rebates for individual taxpayers — married couples filing jointly would get $1,500 checks — was unanimously approved Thursday in a Senate committee and could be poised to advance quickly to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk. The measure – Senate Bill 10, cosponsored by Sen. Benny Shendo, Jr. of Jemez Pueblo, Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth of Santa Fe and House Speaker Javier Martínez of Albuquerque, all Democrats – would provide rebate checks to an estimated 875,000 tax filers around the state, regardless of income level. The number also includes married couples, meaning the total amount of adults receiving financial relief under the proposal could be even higher.
Juvenile justice reform
Lawmakers are considering a proposal to prohibit life sentences without the possibility of release or parole for serious youthful offenders. The law would apply to individuals serving long adult sentences for crimes committed when they were 14 to 17 years old. A similar proposal failed last year; this year’s measure, Senate Bill 64 would outline a tiered system of timing for parole hearings — rather than setting them all at 15 years, last year’s proposal would have. Under this year’s bill, for first-degree murder, an individual would be eligible for parole 20 years into their sentence. For first-degree murder with more than one victim, it would be set at 25 years. The 15-year proposal would remain for others. Release wouldn’t be guaranteed, just a parole hearing.
In other justice system news
Deep divisions plagued discussions about proposed overhauls of New Mexico’s pretrial detention system this week – both along party lines and within Democrats’ own ranks. House Joint Resolution 9, which would make more defendants eligible for pretrial detention, survived a divided committee hearing this week by the skin of its teeth. Democrats on the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee refused to recommend passage of the measure, but a bipartisan 5-2 majority agreed to forward it on without a recommendation. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers repeatedly rejected a batch of crime bills sponsored by Republican Rep. Bill Rehm of Albuquerque, including measures to expand the state’s three-strikes law, increase penalties for certain crimes and make it a felony to carry a firearm during a drug deal.
Burn debate reignited
A bill seeking to curtail the use of prescribed burns in New Mexico’s gusty spring season is moving forward after being revived at the Roundhouse. The legislation – Senate Bill 21, sponsored by Sen. Ron Griggs, R-Alamogordo – previously stalled in a committee amid concern about how it would impact forest managers, farmers and others who use controlled burns as a tool. But it was brought back after changes were made to the bill that would still allow prescribed burns to be ignited in spring months — but not on days when the National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” signaling elevated fire danger.
Rural health care access
A proposal to use some of New Mexico’s revenue windfall to bolster health care services in rural parts of the state where health care services and hospitals are few and far between, moved through committee this week. The legislation could free up funding for projects like a proposed new inpatient behavioral health facility in Curry County. Senate Bill 7, which is a priority for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, is similar to a previous measure that stalled during last year’s session.
Follow Journal Capitol Bureau reporters Dan Boyd and Dan McKay for daily coverage of the session.
