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Martinez Signs Legislation Aimed At Protecting Families

Office of the Governor

  Today, Governor Susana Martinez signed a series of bills to help protect New Mexico’s families. Among other things, the legislation cracks down on child prostitution, provides additional funding to help victims of violent crimes, and requires all cell phone and pager companies to issue Amber Alerts via text to their customers.

“Throughout my career as a prosecutor, a district attorney, and now as governor, I have seen firsthand the tragic impact that violent crimes have on our families, children and communities,” Governor Susana Martinez said. “It is imperative that we do all we can to prevent crimes, help victims, and hold criminals accountable, and that’s why these bills are so important.”

House Bill 101, sponsored by Representative David Gallegos (R-Eunice), will make it a second-degree felony to hire or offer to hire all children under the age of 16 for sex. Currently, there is no penalty for hiring or offering to hire a child under the age of 13 for sex. This important legislation eliminates this glaring loophole.

House Bill 174, sponsored by Representative Sarah Maestas Barnes (R-Albuquerque), requires cell phone and pager companies to issue Amber Alerts to customers. Amber Alerts help law enforcement quickly enlist the eyes and ears of the entire community to help bring a child back to safety.

Governor Martinez also previously expanded the Amber Alert System in 2013, giving law enforcement the ability to issue Amber Alerts for children believed to have been abducted by family members, as long as officials have reason to believe the child is in danger. Previously, New Mexico law enforcement agencies could only use Amber Alerts if a child was believed abducted by a non-relative.

Senate Bill 510, sponsored by Senator Bill O’Neill (D-Albuquerque), enables the Crime Victims Reparation Commission (CVRC) to enhance valuable services and assistance to victims of certain violent crimes such as child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes. CVRC provides compensation and valuable services such as payment for medical expenses, loss of wages, counseling, and funeral expenses. This legislation improves CVRC’s ability to address the needs of victims in misdemeanor crimes, such as assault against a household member or battery against a household member. It also enables our agency to allow any victim to submit an application for services even after the two-year timeline expires if they can show good cause. In addition, with the collection of the penalty assessment, the Court shall order anyone convicted of a misdemeanor a $50 penalty assessment and anyone convicted of a felony with a $75 penalty assessment. These funds will better assist CVRC in helping even more victims of crime.