Legislative Roundup
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Crisis stop OK’d: The House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation allowing law enforcement officials the right to drive people they have taken into custody who may be suffering from behavioral problems to local crisis triage centers for an examination and possible treatment.
Otherwise, said Rep. Doreen Gallegos, D-Las Cruces, said, those people would go to “the ER [emergency room] or jail.” Gallegos and Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, are sponsoring Senate Bill 310.
Proponents of the bill say it’s one way to treat behavioral health problems and reduce court loads. The bill’s fiscal impact report notes it has the potential to reduce incarceration for people “experiencing a behavioral health crisis by allowing for voluntary or involuntary admissions to a crisis triage center for stabilization.”
The bill also says the state’s “limited number” of crisis triage centers may limit its potential to make a difference — a point stressed by Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell, R-Roswell, who said such centers are hard to find in the eastern part of the state.
Romero to moderate water talk: Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, will be moderating an update on the Aamodt water rights settlement agreement and related construction of the Pojoaque Basin regional water system 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the FBL Auditorium at Pojoaque High School on March 21.
Presenters will include representatives of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Santa Fe County, the State Engineer’s Office and pueblo leaders.
Everyone will have the opportunity to ask questions and there will be a facilitated question-and-answer session after all the presenters have concluded. Refreshments will be provided.
People can participate virtually at the Zoom link us02web.zoom.us/j/82959659852?pwd=dlg1ZE1XbmovYURwaDVZZ3lpTXZYZz09#success, or by dialing +1 669 900 9128, meeting ID: 829 5965 9852, passcode: 008019.
Driver’s license bill passes: The House voted 50-12 late Saturday night to pass Senate Bill 47, which gets rid of a requirement that the Motor Vehicles Division suspend people’s driver’s licenses for nonpayment of a penalty or failure to appear in court.
The bill was sponsored by Wirth, Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, and Sens. Brenda McKenna, D-Corrales and Crystal Diamond, R-Elephant Butte. The legislation would not affect suspensions and revocations based on driving while intoxicated or dangerous driving, nor limit the ability of courts to impose sanctions in criminal and traffic cases.
The bill now heads to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk. If it becomes law, New Mexico would become the 24th state to enact legislation to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions in the past five years, according to a news release from the Fines and Fees Justice Center.
Senate confirmations: The Senate confirmed today six appointments to various boards of regents.
They include:
- Paula Tackett, a former director of the Legislative Council Service. She was appointed to the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.
- Phelps Anderson, a former state representative, who was appointed to New Mexico Military Institute.
- Dalva Moellenberg was appointed to the Western New Mexico University Board of Regents.
- Logan O’Brien was appointed as a student representative to the Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regents.
- Cody Rivera was appointed as a student representative to the New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents.
- Rebecca Anderson was appointed to the New Mexico School for the Deaf Board of Regents.
Quote of the day: “Everybody in this room should be saying, ‘Thank God for oil and gas,’ because without that money in our state, we would be a poor state — a very, very, very poor state.” —Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, while presenting the state’s proposed $9.57 billion budget today on the floor.
