Commentary: The 2016 Legislative Session ended with many priorities completed, including balancing a $6.22 billion budget to run state government next year despite drastically lower-than- expected state revenues; and the legislature came together on a compromise fix to the New Mexico driver’s license problem.
“It was one of the toughest years in the legislature due to the dramatically falling state revenue,” Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle said. “We came together and we did the most important things that needed to get done. We compromised to fix the drivers’ license problem that has haunted us for five years and we have a scaled-back state budget that still meets the critical needs of our state despite the pressures on the budget because of falling revenue.”
While spending will be held flat in some departments, others will be reduced across-the- board by 2%. Some critical areas will receive an increase in funding. Public Safety and the New Mexico Corrections Department will receive an increase of nearly 3%, some of the increase is needed to increase salaries for prison guards and to fight hepatitis C in the prisons. The Children, Youth and Families Department will receive $3.7 million to the Protective Services program for the care and support of children in custody and for 22 additional social workers. To boost jobs and economic development, the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) will receive an investment of $6 million; nearly $1.3 million in a special appropriations will go for a new Rapid Response Workforce program. There will also be a budget increase for the Tourism Department advertising.
The compromise on the drivers’ license problem provides for a two-tier driver’s license system. Tier One: A regular driver’s license or ID to meet federal REAL ID Act requirements to be accepted by federal agencies for federal purposes. Tier Two: Driving Authorization Card and non-REAL ID compliant IDs- This driving authorization card is for persons who are not eligible for REAL ID licenses and ID cards; and it is for those who legally qualify but who don’t want or need the REAL-ID license.
It provides New Mexicans who are in the country illegally a distinctly different-looking driving privilege/authorization card so they can continue to legally operate a motor vehicle. Fingerprinting would be required only for those new applicants who are unable to prove lawful status and who do not currently have a valid New Mexico license or ID card.
Other priorities for many Republicans in the State Senate included fighting crime.
They voted to keep the “worst of the worst” behind bars. Voters are being given the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November. The amendment would allow judges to keep some people accused of violent offenses in jail without bail while they await trial. It would also allow judges to release nonviolent defendants who are incarcerated if they cannot afford bail.
They also passed a bill to get tougher on child pornographers. The bill adds sentencing enhancements to existing law if the court finds that the child is under 13 years of age.. They also got tougher on DWI by increasing penalties’ for drunk drivers.
The Governor has until March 9 to take action on the bills that passed both chambers.