FAMM is working in New Mexico in 2023. FAMM’s 2023 policy goals are to:
- Eliminate life without parole as a sentencing option for people convicted as children, and allow people serving long sentences for crimes committed as children to be eligible for parole after serving 15, 20, or 25 years in prison.
- Establish independent prison oversight of New Mexico’s state prisons.
- Improve compassionate release in New Mexico for the sick and elderly in state prisons.
Please contact Molly Gill at mgill@famm.org for questions about our New Mexico work.
2023 Priority Legislation
SB 64 (Sen. Lopez) – This bill would ban the imposition of life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) sentences on people who convicted crimes when they were under age 18, and allow people serving long sentences for crimes committed as children to be eligible for parole after serving 15, 20, or 25 years in prison, depending on their crime(s) of conviction. FAMM supports this bill.
UPDATE: SB 64 was passed by both the state House and the state Senate and now must be signed by Gov. Lujan Grisham before April 7, 2023, in order to become a law.
HB 297 (Rep. Cadena) – This bill would create a Corrections Advisory Board (composed of appointees by the legislature, governor, courts) within the Department of Finance and Administration. The Board would have the power to evaluate NMCD’s compliance with rules, review efficacy of operations and rehabilitative programs, identify systemic issues that could lead to abuse or neglect of incarcerated people, identify systemic issues that could impact the health and safety of staff, and hire the corrections ombudsman through a competitive application process. The Ombudsman has power to receive and investigate complaints from incarcerated people and staff, have confidential communications with them, and access facilities and documents. Exhaustion of NMCD administrative remedies process would not be required before filing a complaint. FAMM supports this bill.
Read FAMM’s statement in support of HB 297.
Read FAMM’s poll showing that 82 percent of Americans support prison oversight.
SB 29 (Sen. O’Neill) – This bill would make numerous improvements to New Mexico’s current compassionate release process. Among other reforms, it would lower the geriatric release age eligibility from 65 to 55; require release when the NMCD director recommends it, unless there’s clear and convincing evidence that the person is a danger to the public; and ban denying people release solely because of the nature of their crime. FAMM supports this bill.
Read FAMM’s memo about the need for compassionate release in New Mexico
Read FAMM’s report card on the lack of compassionate release in New Mexico
FAMM National Poll: 70 percent of Americans support compassionate release