Criminal Justice

in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 218: ATTENDANCE FOR SUCCESS ACT ENFORCEMENT

HB 218 strengthens New Mexico's Attendance for Success Act by making it a crime for parents to allow continued school absences after a student is reported to juvenile probation services for excessive absenteeism. It directly affects parents of students identified as excessively absent who fail to address the issue following school interventions. Key provisions require schools to report cases to juvenile probation, which then investigates potential neglect; if parents continue allowing absences after reporting, they face penalties including fines ($50-$100 for first offense, up to $500 or 6 months jail for repeat offenses). The bill focuses on enforcement, not new support services, shifting responsibility to parents for maintaining school attendance after formal reporting.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of parental school absenteeism, increasing penalties under criminal justice system per bill's criminal offense provisions95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationStrengthens attendance enforcement in schools to improve student participation, directly advancing educational access and accountability under the Attendance for Success Act.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice Probation & Parole

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 151: CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

HB 151 extends the time for New Mexico residents to file civil lawsuits related to childhood sexual abuse. It sets the deadline as the later of the victim's 58th birthday or three years after first disclosing the abuse to a licensed medical or mental health provider. The bill also revives lawsuits barred by previous deadlines on or before July 1, 2026, allowing them to be filed by June 30, 2029. This change removes all other time limits for such cases, making the new deadline the sole applicable statute of limitations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse victims, aligning with criminal justice reform by removing barriers to justice and protecting victim rights.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill requires disclosure to licensed mental health providers to extend statute of limitations, directly linking healthcare access to legal protections for abuse victims.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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passed · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 17: STOP ILLEGAL GUN TRADE ACT

This New Mexico bill (SB 17) requires gun dealers to implement security measures like alarms, reinforced doors, and video surveillance to prevent thefts, and mandates background checks for employees handling firearms. It prohibits sales of "extremely dangerous weapons" (including certain .50 caliber rifles and modified semiautomatic firearms) and requires dealers to report crime gun traces, multiple sales, and thefts. Dealers must also maintain detailed records and post safety notices for firearm purchasers. The bill passed the Senate in February 2026 but remains pending in the House.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill regulates gun dealers and restricts dangerous weapons to prevent illegal gun trade, directly addressing crime prevention under Criminal Justice policies.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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in committee · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 162: MOTOR VEHICLE CRIMES & PENALTIES

HB 162 creates a new crime of "negligent homicide by vehicle" (a fourth-degree felony) for causing death while violating reckless driving laws. It increases penalties for homicide by vehicle under the influence or with prior DWI convictions (adding four years per prior DWI within 10 years). The bill also allocates $250,000 for a statewide public education campaign on reckless driving, funded from the general fund for fiscal year 2027. This legislation directly affects drivers who cause death or injury through reckless or impaired driving. It modifies existing criminal penalties without changing the underlying reckless driving statute.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for vehicular homicide with mandatory sentencing enhancements, expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing per OPPOSE indicators.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances transportation safety by creating new vehicle homicide penalties and funding public education on reckless driving, directly addressing vehicle regulation safety standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Traffic Safety

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died · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 59: INCREASE PENALTY FOR CERTAIN DEATHS

HB 59 increases the prison sentence for a second-degree felony resulting in a human death from 18 to 25 years. It directly affects individuals convicted of this specific offense under New Mexico law. The bill amends Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978 to adjust the sentencing table, raising the baseline imprisonment term for this category while maintaining existing fines and parole provisions. This change applies only to second-degree felonies causing death, not other felony types or sexual offenses. The bill does not create new crimes or alter penalties for other offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory prison term from 18 to 25 years for second-degree felony causing death, expanding sentencing severity without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Sentencing

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signed · New Mexico · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 40: DRIVER PRIVACY AND SAFETY ACT

SB 40, the "Driver Privacy and Safety Act," limits how law enforcement and private entities can share automated license plate reader (ALPR) data. It prohibits sharing ALPR information for immigration enforcement, investigating protected health care activities (like reproductive or gender-affirming care), or targeting constitutionally protected speech. The law makes ALPR data confidential (not public record), requires court orders for private data sales, and mandates quarterly reports to the attorney general on out-of-state data requests. Violations can result in $10,000 fines per incident.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts law enforcement ALPR data sharing for immigration/protected activities, enhancing privacy and accountability - key criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits sharing ALPR data for immigration enforcement, directly limiting state cooperation with federal immigration efforts per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRestricts ALPR data sharing for privacy protections, explicitly preventing misuse in sensitive areas like health care and speech, aligning with data privacy safeguards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Consumer Data Protection Tags Privacy

in committee · New Mexico · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 206: RELINQUISHMENT OF INFANTS AT SAFE HAVEN BOXES

SB 206 allows parents to anonymously relinquish infants under 90 days old at designated safe haven sites (like hospitals, fire stations, or police stations) without facing criminal charges for abandonment. Parents have 90 days to contact the Children, Youth and Families Department to seek reunification; if they do not, the department must file to terminate parental rights automatically. Safe haven sites must provide parents with information about adoption services and reunification options, and the bill grants legal immunity to sites that install safe haven baby boxes. The law directly affects parents seeking anonymous relinquishment, infants under 90 days old, and state child welfare agencies managing the process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves criminal charges for infant abandonment, reducing unnecessary criminalization in child welfare context, aligning with reform goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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signed · New Mexico · House Mar 9, 2026

HM 13: 10-YEAR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLAN

House Memorial 13, introduced by Representatives Andrea Romero and Christine Chandler, requests the Legislative Finance Committee to convene a task force to develop a 10-year plan and funding strategy for modernizing New Mexico's criminal justice system. The task force will address systemic issues like outdated law enforcement training, inconsistent case data reporting, high staff turnover, and frequent case dismissals that impact public safety and equal justice. It will create recommendations for standardized data collection, updated training programs aligned with national standards, career pathways for justice professionals, and a dedicated funding mechanism. The plan will involve input from diverse stakeholders including law enforcement, courts, tribal leaders, corrections, and community representatives to improve system efficiency and fairness.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequests task force to develop 10-year plan modernizing system, addressing systemic issues like outdated training and inconsistent reporting.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

died · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 74: HABITUAL OFFENDER STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

HB 74 removes the ten-year time limit for counting prior felony convictions toward habitual offender sentencing in New Mexico. Currently, only convictions within ten years of the current offense count; this bill changes that so any prior felony conviction, regardless of when it occurred, can be used to increase sentences. It directly affects noncapital felony offenders with prior convictions, potentially increasing their sentences by 1, 4, or 8 years based on the number of prior offenses. The bill modifies the legal definition of "prior felony conviction" in sentencing law but does not change the sentencing structure itself.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves 10-year limit on prior convictions for habitual sentencing, allowing older offenses to increase sentences by 1-8 years, expanding mandatory sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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died · New Mexico · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 79: EVIDENCE IN PROBATION REVOCATION

HB 79 would change the standard of proof required in New Mexico juvenile probation revocation hearings from "beyond a reasonable doubt" to "a preponderance of the evidence" (meaning it is more likely than not that a probation violation occurred). This directly affects juveniles on probation who face revocation proceedings for violating probation terms. The bill amends the state's Delinquency Act to lower the evidentiary standard in these hearings, making it easier for courts to revoke probation based on the lower threshold. The change applies specifically to probation revocation proceedings for youth adjudicated delinquent, not to criminal trials.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeLowers evidentiary standard from 'beyond reasonable doubt' to 'preponderance,' reducing juvenile defendant rights in probation revocation proceedings per bill summary.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Probation & Parole

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