Hello fellow political junkies!
Bomb threats and mass shooting threats have unfortunately become a part of life in the United States. A state official aims to curb these incidences through legislation in the upcoming legislative session.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced proposed legislation aimed at elevating the penalty for calling in a bomb or shooting threat from a misdemeanor to a fourth-degree felony.
The proposed legislation is intended as a response to “the growing number of mass shooting threats aimed at large public venues, including schools, across New Mexico,” a press release about the proposed legislation states.
“Mass shooting threats are not only a danger to public safety but a profound disruption to our communities and schools,” Torrez said in the press release. “These threats create fear, drain essential resources and place an enormous burden on students, educators and families.”
Torrez said in the press release that he was grateful to Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Albuquerque, “for stepping up to champion this legislation and for her steadfast commitment to the safety and well-being of New Mexico’s families.”
“Together, we’re sending a clear message: New Mexico will not tolerate threats that terrorize our communities and endanger our children,” Torrez said.
Bomb and shooting threats place strain on local officials including law enforcement as well as affecting students through missed school hours and “often resulting in lasting socio-emotional effects,” the press release states.
New Mexico election info
The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office posted a list of bond questions and constitutional amendments that will appear on statewide ballots.
These can be seen here. For more information about what will appear on your local ballot, contact your local county clerk’s office which can also help you check on or update your voter registration, a process that can also be done online at NMVote.org.
To see who the candidates are, please visit the New Mexico Secretary of State’s 2024 General Election Contest/Candidate List.
The Election Results 2024 will be posted to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office website after polls close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. It currently lists the 2024 primary results.
The 2025 Legislative Session
The 57th New Mexico Legislature’s first session will begin at noon on Jan. 21. Legislation can be prefiled between Jan. 2 and Jan. 17. The final day to file legislation is Feb. 20 and the final day of the session will be March 22. The governor has until April to act on legislation or it gets pocket vetoed. All legislation signed by the governor save for the legislation that is not a general appropriation bill or a bill carrying an emergency clause or other specified date go into effect June 20.
Upcoming interim committee meetings
Interim Legislative Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee will meet Nov. 15 in Room 307 at the State Capitol.
For more information about interim committee meetings, visit nmlegis.gov and click the Committees tab at the top of the screen.
Meanwhile on the Hill
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, both Democrats, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, a Democrat representing the state’s 1st Congressional District, welcomed $1,345,637 for the Santa Fe Housing Trust to provide pathways to first-time home ownership to 2,050 New Mexicans living with HIV/AIDS.
This grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program. The HOPWA program is the only federal program dedicated to the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, according to a press release.
“Home is more than a roof you live under, it provides safety and stability,” Leger Fernández said in the press release. “As we work to tackle the home affordability crisis across the country, we must use all tools available to help. We know one of the biggest hurdles homebuyers face is saving up for a downpayment. This $1.3 million for the Santa Fe Housing Trust will provide funding for important services like down payment reduction assistance for first-time home buyers living with HIV/AIDS. I’ll continue to fight for funding that helps our communities through legislation like my Home of Your Own Act which would also help first time homebuyers with down payment assistance.”
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–Nicole Maxwell