INCREASE PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN CRIMES

HB 322 increases penalties for severe sexual crimes in New Mexico, specifically adding the death penalty for aggravated criminal sexual penetration of children under 13 and human trafficking of minors under 18. The bill amends statutes to create new first-degree felony charges for these offenses, with the death penalty as a potential sentence. It also imposes stricter penalties for school employees committing sexual crimes against students, making such acts a first-degree felony regardless of the child's age. The law directly affects perpetrators of these specific crimes, particularly those involving children under 18 in trafficking or sexual assault cases.