Rep. Nicole Chavez

Maddy summaryHB 166 increases penalties for individuals convicted of felonies who possess firearms or destructive devices in New Mexico. It sets a five-year prison term for first-time possession, adds a nine-year term for second or subsequent offenses, and specifies nine years for "serious violent felons" (those convicted of certain violent crimes). The bill affects felons with prior convictions who possess firearms, including those with prior violent offenses, and clarifies sentencing for these cases. These changes modify existing penalties without expanding the categories of people covered.

Maddy summaryHB 107 amends New Mexico's Controlled Substances Act to increase penalties for drug trafficking when it causes a death. It specifically adds a 12-year minimum prison term for a first-time trafficking offense resulting in human death, applying to Schedule I/II narcotics, methamphetamine, and related substances. The bill maintains existing felony classifications for other trafficking violations but elevates penalties for death-related cases. It directly affects individuals convicted of distributing controlled substances that lead to fatalities, particularly in cases involving narcotics or methamphetamine. The law does not change penalties for trafficking without death or for other offenses like distribution to minors.

Maddy summaryHB 280 would expand New Mexico's definition of "violent felony" to include specific crimes like aggravated battery against household members, certain child abuse cases resulting in great bodily harm, and criminal sexual penetration. It would require mandatory life imprisonment without parole (except for medical or geriatric reasons) for individuals convicted of three separate violent felony offenses. The bill also specifies that juvenile convictions before age 18 do not count toward the "three strikes" unless the person was sentenced as an adult, and out-of-state violent felony convictions would be treated as violent felonies under New Mexico law. This law would directly affect repeat violent offenders by eliminating parole eligibility after three qualifying convictions.

Maddy summaryHB 73 eliminates the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits seeking damages related to childhood sexual abuse in New Mexico, allowing survivors to file claims at any time regardless of when the abuse occurred. It directly affects survivors of childhood sexual abuse - defined as acts violating specific New Mexico criminal laws (e.g., criminal sexual penetration of a minor) - by removing the previous time limits (like the 24th birthday deadline or 3-year window after disclosure to a healthcare provider). The bill applies retroactively, meaning it enables lawsuits for past cases where time limits had already expired. Currently, the bill passed the House but was postponed indefinitely in the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 3, 2025, and remains pending.

Maddy summaryHB 279 creates a process for reviewing health care bills that could change health insurance coverage requirements. It requires New Mexico’s Legislative Council Service to hire contractors by September 2025 to analyze proposed bills, with legislators limited to requesting two reviews per chamber per session. The reviews must estimate impacts like affected residents, premium changes, cost-sharing shifts, and long-term health costs, and must include federal guideline alignment checks. The bill appropriates $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 to fund these reviews, which will be reported annually to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 278 amends New Mexico's voluntary manslaughter statute to clarify that killings occurring during a felony escape or while resisting lawful arrest are no longer excluded from the definition of voluntary manslaughter. This means individuals who cause death while fleeing a felony or resisting arrest would now be charged with voluntary manslaughter (a third-degree felony), rather than potentially facing lesser charges. The bill directly affects people involved in violent incidents during these specific scenarios. The key change removes an existing exclusion in the law, making such killings subject to the same legal standard as other voluntary manslaughter cases.

Maddy summaryHB 165 requires courts to make a probable cause determination before denying bail for defendants charged with specific "dangerous felony offenses," such as murder, sexual assault, firearm-related crimes, or certain violent offenses against household members or police. It creates a legal presumption that such defendants pose a danger to the community and that no release conditions could protect others, shifting the burden to the defendant to prove otherwise. The bill directly affects individuals facing charges listed in the law, including first-degree murder, sexual penetration, robbery, or aggravated battery. If the presumption isn’t overcome, courts must deny bail without requiring additional evidence to justify detention.

Maddy summaryHB 235 prohibits undocumented aliens from receiving, transporting, or possessing firearms or destructive devices in New Mexico, adding this category to existing prohibitions that already cover felons and individuals subject to protection orders. The bill defines "undocumented alien" as a foreign national unlawfully present in the U.S. under federal law and specifies that violating this provision constitutes a misdemeanor. It does not change penalties for other prohibited groups (like felons, who face felony charges) but extends the prohibition to undocumented aliens. The bill focuses on restricting firearm access for this specific group, aligning with broader state firearm safety laws. The measure was referred to committees in January 2025 but was postponed indefinitely in June 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 101 clarifies that commissioned law enforcement officers performing official duties are exempt from New Mexico's general rule prohibiting firearms at polling places. The bill directly affects law enforcement officers who may be present at polling locations during elections. It amends the existing law to explicitly state that officers acting within their official capacity are not considered to be unlawfully possessing a firearm in these areas. This change provides clear legal protection for officers conducting election security, without altering restrictions for other individuals. The bill does not change the penalty for non-officers who violate the firearm prohibition at polling places.

Maddy summaryHB 102 reclassifies "homicide by a vehicle" and "great bodily harm by a vehicle" as "serious violent offenses" under New Mexico's corrections system. This change directly affects prisoners convicted of these specific vehicle-related crimes, limiting their eligibility for earned meritorious deductions to a maximum of four days per month (instead of the 30 days available for nonviolent offenses). The bill amends Section 33-2-34 of the state code to update the definition of "serious violent offense" in the corrections policy, impacting how time deductions are calculated for these offenders. This adjustment ensures such offenders receive reduced sentence reductions compared to nonviolent offenders, based on the severity of their crimes.