HB 144 creates the crime of "unlawful squatting" in New Mexico, defined as entering and residing on someone else's property without permission for any period. It classifies this as a fourth-degree felony and requires property owners to prove unauthorized occupancy through a legal process involving affidavits and court hearings, rather than immediate removal. The bill also allows property owners to seek double the appraised value of damages caused by the squatter and gives alleged squatters three business days to contest a citation with proof like a lease or deed. This directly affects property owners facing unauthorized occupants and individuals accused of squatting, establishing a court-based system to resolve disputes over property rights.
HB 58 updates New Mexico's harassment law to cover modern digital communications, expanding the definition of "telephone" to include texts, social media posts, emails, and instant messages. It makes it illegal to use these platforms to send obscene, threatening, or harassing messages with intent to terrify or annoy, or to repeatedly disturb someone's peace through anonymous digital contact. Penalties range from a misdemeanor for first offenses to a fourth-degree felony for repeat violations. The law directly affects individuals who use digital means to harass others, aligning penalties with where the communication originated or was received.
HB 218 strengthens New Mexico's Attendance for Success Act by making it a crime for parents to allow continued school absences after a student is reported to juvenile probation services for excessive absenteeism. It directly affects parents of students identified as excessively absent who fail to address the issue following school interventions. Key provisions require schools to report cases to juvenile probation, which then investigates potential neglect; if parents continue allowing absences after reporting, they face penalties including fines ($50-$100 for first offense, up to $500 or 6 months jail for repeat offenses). The bill focuses on enforcement, not new support services, shifting responsibility to parents for maintaining school attendance after formal reporting.
HB 162 creates a new crime of "negligent homicide by vehicle" (a fourth-degree felony) for causing death while violating reckless driving laws. It increases penalties for homicide by vehicle under the influence or with prior DWI convictions (adding four years per prior DWI within 10 years). The bill also allocates $250,000 for a statewide public education campaign on reckless driving, funded from the general fund for fiscal year 2027. This legislation directly affects drivers who cause death or injury through reckless or impaired driving. It modifies existing criminal penalties without changing the underlying reckless driving statute.
HB 59 increases the prison sentence for a second-degree felony resulting in a human death from 18 to 25 years. It directly affects individuals convicted of this specific offense under New Mexico law. The bill amends Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978 to adjust the sentencing table, raising the baseline imprisonment term for this category while maintaining existing fines and parole provisions. This change applies only to second-degree felonies causing death, not other felony types or sexual offenses. The bill does not create new crimes or alter penalties for other offenses.
HB 74 removes the ten-year time limit for counting prior felony convictions toward habitual offender sentencing in New Mexico. Currently, only convictions within ten years of the current offense count; this bill changes that so any prior felony conviction, regardless of when it occurred, can be used to increase sentences. It directly affects noncapital felony offenders with prior convictions, potentially increasing their sentences by 1, 4, or 8 years based on the number of prior offenses. The bill modifies the legal definition of "prior felony conviction" in sentencing law but does not change the sentencing structure itself.
HB 79 would change the standard of proof required in New Mexico juvenile probation revocation hearings from "beyond a reasonable doubt" to "a preponderance of the evidence" (meaning it is more likely than not that a probation violation occurred). This directly affects juveniles on probation who face revocation proceedings for violating probation terms. The bill amends the state's Delinquency Act to lower the evidentiary standard in these hearings, making it easier for courts to revoke probation based on the lower threshold. The change applies specifically to probation revocation proceedings for youth adjudicated delinquent, not to criminal trials.
HB 266 increases penalties for sexual exploitation of children in New Mexico by elevating certain offenses to higher felony levels (e.g., changing some fourth-degree felonies to third-degree) and adding mandatory minimum sentences when children under 13 are involved. It also clarifies that consent from children aged 14-18 does not exempt possession of depictions if the child voluntarily created or produced them, but does not cover coerced content. Separately, the bill raises the interest rate on delinquent child support from 4% to 6.5% annually. These changes directly affect individuals who possess, distribute, or create child exploitation materials, and those who fail to pay court-ordered child support. The bill aims to strengthen legal consequences for these offenses without altering existing protections for victims.
HB 49 increases penalties for felons who receive, transport, or possess firearms or destructive devices in New Mexico. It specifically raises the penalty for first-time felon firearm possession from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony, and to a first-degree felony for repeat offenses. The bill applies directly to individuals convicted of felonies who have not completed their sentence, probation, or received a pardon within the past ten years. Key provisions clarify definitions of "serious violent felon" and "destructive device" while raising criminal charges for violations. This policy change aims to strengthen restrictions on firearm access for certain convicted individuals.
HB 197 increases penalties for stealing firearms by reclassifying the theft of a firearm valued under $2,500 from a fourth degree felony to a third degree felony. This change means individuals convicted of stealing such firearms would face more severe prison sentences than under current law. The bill directly affects people who commit firearm theft in New Mexico, specifically targeting cases involving firearms worth less than $2,500.
