Victims’ families to Sanchez: vote on crime bills

Family of victims of recent high profile crimes stepped up their pressure on the Senate, particularly Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, to allow votes on several high profile crime bills already passed by the House of Representatives. Nicole Chavez, the mother of slain teen Jaydon Chavez-Silver, implored Sanchez to bring the bills to the floor […]

Victims’ families to Sanchez: vote on crime bills

Family of victims of recent high profile crimes stepped up their pressure on the Senate, particularly Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, to allow votes on several high profile crime bills already passed by the House of Representatives.

Parents of crime victims speaking to media in the State Capitol.
Parents of crime victims speaking to media in the State Capitol.

Nicole Chavez, the mother of slain teen Jaydon Chavez-Silver, implored Sanchez to bring the bills to the floor and said that his job as a criminal defense attorney was to blame for him not doing so.

“I just want to urge him and all the Senators that we put in office to please pull up these laws, pull up these bills, make a vote,” Chavez told media during a Thursday afternoon press conference. “It’s time for change.”

Chavez and the parents of slain child Lilly Garcia delivered their remarks in front of two poster boards. One said, “Who we’re fighting for” and showed pictures of victims. The other said, “Who Michael Sanchez is fighting for” and showed pictures of repeat offenders that Sanchez’s law firm represented.

“We did look at Senator Sanchez’s background. He did practice criminal law,” Chavez said. “These are just four of the criminals that he did represent. They’re repeat offenders.”

Sanchez later said he did not have personal contact with many of those listed.

“This sounds like this is scripted from the Jay McCleskeys of the world to try to put pressure on me,” Sanchez said.

“The Senate’s a very responsible body and we’re going to do what’s best for the people of the state of New Mexico,” he added. “We’re going to go through the bills one by one, make sure they’re good.”

Nicole Chavez with two other parents of slain children speaking in favor of tough crime laws.
Nicole Chavez with two other parents of slain children speaking in favor of tough crime laws.

One committee these bills are going to is the Senate Finance Committee.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said on Wednesday his committee would be looking at the fiscal impact of all of the crime bills.

“We do know there is a cost,” Smith said in a Senate Democratic press conference Wednesday morning.

Chavez said she would be willing to pay more in taxes to pay for the legislation, if necessary.

“I would think as a community member and taxpayer myself, I pay plenty of taxes, I would pay a few more cents to a dollar so I could feel safe in my community,” she said.

She also said that she understands the state requires large budget and hopes that if money is needed, that it can be shifted to pay for these bills.

“There [are] places in the budget where we could pull money from,” she said. “Not that other things are meaningless, but I don’t think they’re as important as these tough crime laws that we’re trying to pass.”

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report