General Information
2016
Amendment to Appear on the November 8, 2016 General Election Ballot as Constitutional Amendment 1: "PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 2, SECTION 13 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO TO PROTECT COMMUNITY SAFETY BY GRANTING COURTS NEW AUTHORITY TO DENY RELEASE ON BAIL PENDING TRIAL FOR DANGEROUS DEFENDANTS IN FELONY CASES WHILE RETAINING THE RIGHT TO PRETRIAL RELEASE FOR NON-DANGEROUS DEFENDANTS WHO DO NOT POSE A FLIGHT RISK." For the first time in more than three decades, New Mexico voters will be asked in 2016 to consider only one proposed amendment to the state's constitution. The sole question, which addresses the granting or denial of bail, will appear on the November 8, 2016 general election ballot as Constitutional Amendment 1. The Constitution of New Mexico provides that the legislature, by a majority vote of all members elected to each house, may propose amendments revising the constitution and that proposed amendments must then be submitted to the voters of the state for approval. A proposed amendment becomes part of the state's constitution if a majority of the votes cast in an election on the proposition is cast in its favor, unless the proposed amendment affects one of the sections for which a three-fourths' majority is required. (This year's proposed constitutional amendment does not affect one of those sections.) Proposed constitutional amendments become effective upon approval by the voters unless an effective date is provided within the text of the proposed amendment. This publication contains a summary and the full text of the joint resolution proposing the amendment, as well as background information and summaries of arguments for and against the passage of the amendment. While the full text of the proposed amendment appears in this publication, the title, which appears in capital letters at the top of the joint resolution, is the only language that will appear on the ballot. New language that is proposed for insertion in the text is shown by underscoring, and language that is proposed for deletion is shown within brackets.
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