SANTA FE – House Republicans today issued a call for legislative action on out-of-control crime in New Mexico. Below is a list of 10 commonsense and pragmatic solutions to address crime that were introduced in the 2023 Legislative Session by House Republicans, some with bipartisan support, and subsequently killed by Democrat lawmakers this year:

·       HB 509 Pretrial Detention Presumption; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; The bill provides a clear process of presenting cases where the defendant should be detained prior to trial and also provides due process protections for the defendants

·       HJR 9 Denial of Bail; KILLED IN SECOND COMMITTEE; Would allow the legislature to set conditions under which defendants may be denied

·       HB 58 Additional Violent Felonies; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; Would have added 12 additional crimes to the list of qualifying charges for New Mexico’s three strikes law.

·       HB 59 Unlawful Firearms while Trafficking; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; Would have created a 3rd degree felony of unlawful carrying of a firearm while trafficking a controlled substance.

·       HB 60 Enhanced Sentencing for Fentanyl; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; Would create a sentencing enhancement for fentanyl possession: 3-year enhancement for 24-49 pills. 5-year enhancement for 50-74 pills and 7-year enhancement for greater than 75 pills.

·       HB 61 Felons in Possession of a Firearm; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; Would increase sentence from 3 to 6 years in prison for felon in possession and up to 6 years if the felony offense constituted a violent offense

·       HB 155 Aggravated Battery on a Peace Officer; STALLED IN SENATE JUDICIARY; Would make the crime of aggravated battery against a peace officer a second degree felony (nine years and up to $10,000) instead of a third degree felony (three years and up to $5,000), if the battery inflicts great bodily harm or is done with a deadly weapon or in any way that inflicts great bodily harm or death

·       HB 341 Court-Ordered Drug or Health Treatment; STALLED IN HOUSE HEALTH; Would require the courts to determine if a criminal may require drug, alcohol, or mental health treatment, and order the defendant to seek that treatment

·       HB 458 Felons and Firearms Penalties; NO HEARING GIVEN; Would increase the penalty for a felon in possession of a firearm or destructive device from three years imprisonment, an ordinary third-degree felony, to five years imprisonment, and seven years for a serious violent felon.

·       HB 485 Child Sex Offense Penalties; KILLED IN FIRST COMMITTEE; Would enhance penalties for sexual exploitation of children, among other statutory changes.

The New Mexico House Republican Caucus additionally calls on Governor Lujan Grisham to immediately convene the Legislature in Special Session, with this list of bills on the agenda, to address the crime crisis in New Mexico. Absent action by the Governor to immediately address crime through the proper legislative channel, House Republicans are prepared to circulate a petition to convene the State Legislature in Extraordinary Session. 

“It is disingenuous for anyone to assert that Republicans ‘have no plan to tackle crime,’ said House Republican Leader Ryan Lane (Aztec). “Our Caucus has been fighting to address this growing crisis only to be ignored by Democrats in the Legislature. If Democrats are truly serious about crime, then let’s come back to Santa Fe and quickly pass these bills.”