SANTA FE — Senate Republicans on the legislature’s interim Courts, Corrections, & Justice Committee are calling for the panel to center its upcoming work plan on juvenile justice reform, pre-trial detention and stiffer penalties for firearms misuse.
The three priorities were outlined in a press release from GOP members of the committee on Monday, ahead of an organizational meeting next month at which the CCJ work plan will be finalized.
“New Mexicans continue to demand reforms which hold violent juveniles accountable and which end the release of repeat offenders,” said Sen. Crystal Brantley, R-Elephant Butte, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “It’s especially upsetting when violent criminals are back on the street before their victims are even out of the hospital.”
Republicans said the juvenile justice push is aimed at addressing both the growing number of younger offenders and an increase in the frequency and severity of violent juvenile crime. On pre-trial detention, they are seeking mechanisms to prevent violent offenders — particularly repeat offenders — from being released before trial.
On firearms, Republicans drew a sharp distinction between what they described as Democrats’ unconstitutional infringements on Second Amendment rights and what they characterized as legitimate accountability measures targeting those who steal or traffic stolen guns.
“We need laws targeting criminals — including those who steal firearms and traffic in stolen firearms,” Brantley said, “not laws which criminalize law-abiding New Mexicans, leaving the ‘good guys’ unable to defend themselves from the true criminals among us.”
The CCJ committee’s organizational meeting, at which the final work plan will be adopted, is scheduled for next month.
