HOUSE MEMORIAL 40

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Andrea Romero

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE CREATION OF A GROUP TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A STATE OFFICE OF PEACE.

 

     WHEREAS, global, national and local communities are facing and working to resolve increasingly complex and urgent issues related to violence, conflict and safety; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has a unique role in discussions related to peace and conflict, given its historical relationship to the nuclear weapons industry and the significant proportion of members of the armed forces who are from the state; and

     WHEREAS, there is growing momentum and interest in peace-building through development of dispute resolution skills within schools, places of employment and incarceration facilities; and

     WHEREAS, recognizing the importance of this work, over the years and as recently as February 2025, there have been a number of efforts at the national and state levels to establish departments of peace; and

     WHEREAS, a state-level office of peace in New Mexico could work for the benefit of all New Mexico residents using peace-building principles and including work in the areas of restorative justice, prevention of conflict, the addressing of violence, mediation and the promotion of justice; and

     WHEREAS, a group to study the feasibility of creation of a state office of peace would provide an opportunity for community members with relevant expertise and experience to collaborate on developing recommendations;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to direct the creation of a group to study the feasibility of creating a state office of peace and to develop and make recommendations to the appropriate interim legislative committee on creation of the office; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the group be composed of no more than seven members, with one member appointed from each of the following stakeholder groups by a representative of the university of New Mexico school of law:

          A. peace-building, mediation or conflict resolution;

          B. restorative justice, including as that practice is used by communities and courts of Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;

          C. education;

          D. military service or law enforcement;

          E. legal studies;

          F. labor; and

          G. community relations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to engage the university of New Mexico school of law to coordinate the activities of the group, including meeting at regular intervals, and to prepare a final report on the group's work, including its findings and recommendations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the group be requested to present its report to the appropriate interim legislative committee by November 30, 2025; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council and the dean of the university of New Mexico school of law.

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