THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. STATE LAWMAKER PUSHES TO KEEP DANGEROUS CRIMINALS OFF THE STREETS
Rep. Bill Rehm has announced his plan for bail reform aimed at making it tougher for courts to release criminals charged with horrific crimes. This past week’s release of Fabian Gonzales, one of the suspects in the Victoria Martens case, is the latest example of how our judicial system is failing.
Rehm’s bill would make judges consider several factors before releasing a suspect: the severity of the crime, a suspect’s criminal history and the defendant’s appearance record in the courts. The legislation would also follow federal guidelines for release that would put the burden on a defendant, not a prosecutor.
Rehm hopes to get bipartisan support for the bill this coming legislative session.
2. NM SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WANTS MORE MONEY
Here’s something we can file in our “irony” folder:
New Mexico Democratic Supreme Court Justice Barbara Vigil wants state lawmakers to boost funding for state courts. She and other court officials are asking for an 8.9% spending hike from New Mexico’s General Fund. If lawmakers agree, the judiciary will get nearly $200 million next fiscal year.
What?
How about fixing the problems now, before throwing yet more money into the court system.
Here's the story: https://apnews.com/cd21f1c6ea7844b6b9e89e832d4f400f
3. ALBUQUERQUE TIES MURDER RECORD
The call to fix the broken courts comes as Albuquerque’s crime problem is out of control. The city is poised to break its murder rate for one year. There have been 72 homicides in Albuquerque in 2019, tying the record back in 2017.
The Keller Administration can’t get a grasp on how to address this crisis. The city has added more police, but obviously that’s not helping. There's failed leadership at City Hall in ABQ. Violent crime continues to soar in the city, even though Mayor Keller ran on a tough-on-crime platform.
From the Albuquerque Journal: https://www.abqjournal.com/1393905/abq-on-track-to-shatter-homicide-record.html
4. CALL TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASING
Democrat front-runners for the party’s presidential nomination have promised to ban oil and gas leasing on federal lands if elected. That’s big problem here in New Mexico, where oil and gas are the biggest contributors to the state’s economy. Big oil means big dollars for our state coffers.
The industry is credited for billion-dollar surpluses in recent years, with much of that going to education.
From the AP: https://apnews.com/85a3699088f74baba3129382ba651742
OTHER NEWS BRIEFS:
GOV. LUJAN GRISHAM UNVEILS STRATEGIES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
The Governor’s panel on climate change has concluded that New Mexico needs to pick up the pace if it wants to meet its emissions and pollution-prevention goals over the next decade. State business leaders warn the report goes too far and will cost New Mexico jobs.
NM ENVIRONMENT DEPT. WANTS MORE MONEY TO STUDY CONTAMINATION
The State’s Environment Department says it needs $1.2 million to study plumes of toxic chemicals seeping into groundwater from two U.S. Air Force bases.
Secretary James Kenney will ask state lawmakers to investigate and learn more about how to contain the contamination from Holloman and Cannon air bases. Looks like taxpayers will be asked to pony up more money with this request.