(The Center Square) – New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was pleased to see three bills pass through the Senate Judiciary Committee this week that she hopes will improve public safety.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved three more critically important bills contained in my historic plan to enhance public safety in New Mexico,” the governor said in a statement. “I implore lawmakers to respond to the urgent demands of New Mexicans and pass the remaining bills in my public safety package so I can sign them into law.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved three separate bills on Tuesday.
HB 316 would make it illegal for a felon to use a firearm “during the commission of a felony,” according to the release. Doing so would carry a prison sentence of up to five years, while subsequent convictions would have a sentence of up to nine years.
SB 271 would establish in law that when a court gets notice that someone on pretrial release for a felony crime has been arrested for another felony, that person will stay in custody without bond until every judge on all involved cases holds a hearing to consider the conditions of the release.