SOLITARY CONFINEMENT CHANGES

HB 533 would update New Mexico's rules on solitary confinement (termed "restricted housing") by expanding protections for vulnerable inmates and limiting its duration. The bill prohibits placing individuals under 21 or over 55 in restricted housing, bans its use for pregnant people in the first eight weeks postpartum, and prevents involuntary placement for LGBTQ+ individuals or in protective custody. It also caps restricted housing at 15 consecutive days or 90 days total in a year for state facilities and requires quarterly public reporting of who is held in such conditions, including reasons and dates. These changes directly affect inmates in New Mexico prisons and jails, aiming to reduce solitary confinement's use and improve transparency.