CRIMES IN EVACUATION ZONES

New Mexico Senate Bill 12 increases penalties for specific crimes, such as criminal trespass and breaking and entering, when they are committed within an evacuation zone. The bill defines an evacuation zone as an area designated by officials during a natural or industrial disaster that poses a threat to public safety or property. Under this legislation, individuals who knowingly commit these offenses in an evacuation zone would face felony charges with higher degrees of severity compared to the same crimes committed outside such zones. Additionally, the bill amends existing definitions in the state's criminal code to clarify terms like "evacuation zone" and "deadly weapon."