A recently House-approved proposal to broaden New Mexico three-strikes sentencing law for violent criminals now heads to the Senate where it faces an uncertain future.
That's because the Democratic-controlled Senate announced Friday it would be assigned to three committees, effectively dimming hopes it could pass before the 30-day Legislative session ends.
The legislation targets criminals with three or more violent felony convictions.
It passed with bipartisan support 47-15 on Thursday in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives after several Democratic lawmakers raised concerns that the law is too broad and outdated.
The proposal comes as similarly named strict sentencing laws already on the books in other states are being re-evaluated amid concerns nationally about burgeoning prison populations.
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