Governor Bill Richardson Announces Public Safety Priorities for Upcoming Session

Press Release

Governor Bill Richardson Announces Public Safety Priorities for Upcoming Session

Governor Bill Richardson traveled around the state today, to announce his public safety priorities for the upcoming legislative session. The Governor stopped in Farmington, Las Cruces and Roswell where he detailed his plans for tougher DWI, Liquor Control, gangs and domestic violence reforms.

"Today I outlined my ambitious plan to improve public safety in New Mexico, including increasing penalties for drunk driving, domestic violence and gang violence and new this year - we are proposing legislation to combat drugged driving," Governor Richardson.

DWI

Governor Richardson today proposed a number of new DWI initiatives to be presented to the Legislature later this month. The Governor announced his proposal to combat "drugged drivers" - including a bill that would establish a limit for drivers under the influence of illegal drugs.

The Governor is also proposing a bill that would allow law enforcement officers to appear by phone or video conference in order to participate in DWI license revocation hearings. This would allow officers to stay on in communities looking for drunk drivers instead of spending valuable time in court.

Liquor Control Act

The Governor along with DWI Czar Rachel O'Connor unveiled plans for more comprehensive liquor control reform in Farmington this morning.

"This year we're bringing forward a bill that provides for comprehensive liquor reform for the Liquor Control Act in the State of New Mexico," said Governor Richardson. "This bill will have provisions that substantively impact public safety and liquor licensing."

The proposed changes would bring an increase in financial penalties to bars that over serve and sell to minors; both are violations under the Three Strikes rule. The legislation also would allow the state to revoke the liquor licenses of establishments that are considered a public nuisance.

Additional changes to the Liquor Control Act would give local law enforcement the authority to enforce certain provisions of act and would require alcohol servers to renew their server permits every three years instead of every five.

Gangs

The Governor has proposed two pieces of legislation aimed at fighting back against gangs in New Mexico. The first will make gang recruitment a crime. We want to make recruiting an adult into a gang a 4th degree felony and recruiting a child a 3rd degree felony.

Secondly, the Governor has proposed a bill that would provide sentence enhancements for crimes committed during gang activity. Under this bill gang activity penalties will be increased from a one year enhancement for a fourth degree felony to an additional eight years for a first degree felony. This will give police and prosecutors better tools to prosecute those individuals
who have not gotten the message, "We don't want gang violence here."

Domestic Violence

The Governor announced a number of new domestic violence initiatives during his stops around the state today. The first is to add domestic violence to a list of crimes that would limit an individual's ability to obtain certification as a law enforcement officer or to retain their certification.

Secondly, the Governor wants to close a major gap in the current law and make damage to community or jointly owned property a crime the Governor wants take power away from batterers. This bill would create a new offense under the Crimes Against Household Members Act making criminal damage to property against a household member a 4th degree felony if the damage is more than $1000.

The Governor also unveiled his plan to prohibit employers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Under the Governor's proposed bill, employers must grant employees unpaid leave to obtain an order of protection or other judicial relief from abuse, to meet with law enforcement, consult with attorneys or victim advocates and attend court
proceedings related to the abuse.

Finally, with one in twelve New Mexicans being victimized by stalkers and only 5.5% of these cases resulting in an arrest, the Governor is looking to streamline and broaden the language in our stalking law so that stalkers will no longer be able to threaten or cause fear to their victims.

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