Aiexpress – New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed her satisfaction as three bills successfully made their way through the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. These bills are expected to enhance public safety, a priority for the governor.
“The governor expressed her satisfaction with the progress made as the Senate Judiciary Committee gave its approval to three more crucial bills from her comprehensive plan to improve public safety in New Mexico,” read a statement from the governor’s office. “She urged lawmakers to heed the urgent calls from the people of New Mexico and pass the remaining bills in her public safety package, allowing her to enact them into law.”
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave its approval to three separate bills.
The proposed legislation, HB 316, aims to criminalize the use of firearms by individuals with a felony record “during the commission of a felony.” If passed, offenders could face a maximum prison term of five years for their first conviction, and up to nine years for subsequent convictions.
SB 271 aims to codify the practice of keeping individuals in custody without bond if they are on pretrial release for a felony crime and are subsequently arrested for another felony. Under this legislation, the court will be required to hold a hearing involving all judges on the relevant cases to determine the conditions of the release.
SB 96 proposes an increase in the penalties for second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. Under the new legislation, the maximum sentence for second-degree murder would be raised to 18 years, while the maximum sentence for attempted second-degree murder would be increased to nine years.
State Senator Craig Brandt, a Republican from Sandoval, expresses doubts about the effectiveness of the three proposals.
According to Brandt, the gun bills and restrictions that have been passed will not be effective in saving lives. He argues that these measures fail to address the real problems happening on the streets. In his view, the governor’s focus has been on passing bills that restrict people’s constitutional rights, rather than addressing the root causes of crime.
The governor’s office failed to provide additional information on how the bills would effectively combat crime, despite a request for clarification.
