House Majority Leader Nate Gentry wants to clear the way for mandatory life sentences for offenders who are convicted of three violent crimes.
His legislation joins a growing list of tough-on-crime proposals being floated by the Republican majority.
Gentry says there's a reason for the theme. Pointing to a recent report, he says New Mexico is the second most dangerous state in the nation when it comes to violent crime.
Democrats argue that the majority's motive for the anti-crime bills is political.
Rep. Moe Maestas of Albuquerque says most of the bills are just penalty enhancements and would prove costly for the state's corrections system.
Gentry defended his proposal as a common-sense measure to lock up offenders who have demonstrated that they're dangerous.
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Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com
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