JUVENILE JUSTICE CHANGES

HB 339 amends New Mexico's juvenile justice law to expand the definition of "serious youthful offender" to include children aged 15-18 charged with criminal sexual penetration in the first degree. This change requires courts to commit such juveniles to the Children, Youth and Families Department until they turn 26, rather than transferring them to adult court. The bill also mandates similar long-term commitments for certain other juvenile offenders, including those adjudicated for specific violent or sexual offenses like murder or aggravated battery. These provisions standardize custody terms for serious juvenile cases within New Mexico's juvenile justice system.