House Passes Key Public Safety Bills with Strong Bipartisan Support
Bills would reduce gun violence by deterring individuals with felonies from possessing firearms and bolster the public safety workforce
Santa Fe, N.M. - Today, the House of Representatives passed important legislation to improve community safety across New Mexico with strong bipartisan support.
House Bill 316, which passed 53-11, would enhance the penalties for convicted felons found to be in possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapon. Penalties for felons in possession of a firearm would increase to a third-degree felony, or to a second-degree felony if there are multiple offenses or the charge is for a serious, violent offense.
“We all need to continue to come together around common-sense solutions to reduce gun violence,” said House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque). “One of these solutions is to make sure that offenders who aren’t supposed to have a firearm in the first place know that if they violate the law, they will be held accountable.”
Additional sponsors of HB 316 include Reps. Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque), Tara Jaramillo (D-Socorro), Day Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), and Charlotte Little (D-Albuquerque).
The legislation would not apply to those who have been pardoned, received a deferred sentence, or completed their sentence and any applicable parole more than 10 years prior.
The House also passed House Bill 236, which would help bolster New Mexico’s public safety workforce with a bipartisan vote of 56-7. HB 236 would allow certain retirees who wish to return to work in high-demand public safety positions to do so without losing their benefits.
Eligible retirees must be hired as correctional officers, detention officers, police officers, courthouse security officers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, or other first responders.
“House Bill 236 will allow New Mexicans who previously retired and have the on-the-ground experience and training necessary to return to work for a limited time to fill much-needed frontline public safety positions,” said lead sponsor House Majority Leader Gail Chasey (D-Albuquerque). “This will both shore up our workforce and improve community safety.”
The bill is also sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque), House Minority Leader Ryan Lane (R-Aztec), and Rep. Alan Martinez (R-Bernalillo).
Both bills now head to the Senate.
The Roundhouse is open to the public for the 2024 session. Members of the public can also 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.
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