The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

NMDP News:

SANTA FE — HB 81, which would require criminal courts to assess a convicted person’s ability to pay before imposing fines and fees related to the criminal proceeding, passed the House by a vote of 45 to 21.

HB 81 also would allow courts to permit monthly installment payments for people who cannot pay. The bill also expands community service to include job training, education and rehabilitation programs and increases monetary credit of community service hours.

“Burdensome and discriminatory legal fines and fees are unreliable sources of revenue that do not make our communities safer or prevent crime,” Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla) said. “More often than not, they can have the opposite effect, keeping disenfranchised people in a worsening cycle of debt.” 

HB 81 was sponsored by Rep. Cadena.

The Roundhouse is open to the public for the session. Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination will be required to enter the building. Members of the public can view floor sessions and committee meetings on the New Mexico legislature’s Webcasts tab, and provide comment via phone or Zoom as directed on the daily schedule.