Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR King

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/30/07

HB HJM16

SHORT TITLE Study Child Porn Generated in New Mexico

SB

ANALYST Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Second Judicial District Attorney

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 16 requests that the Attorney General convene a task force to study the

technological sophistication of virtual or computer-generated pornography in New Mexico, its

impacts on New Mexico’s children and the extent to which it supports the child pornography

market. The task force shall include the attorney general or designee, secretary of public safety

or designee, a representative from the administrative office of the district attorneys and any other

entities deemed necessary.

The task force’s study is to include the following:

1.

Pervasiveness and technological sophistication of virtual or morphing technology in child

pornography in New Mexico and its effects on the child pornography market;

2.

Extent to which morphed images are used by abusers to seduce, molest, entice or lure

children;

3.

extent of physical, emotional and psychological harm caused to identifiable child victims

who are depicted in morphed images; and

House Joint Memorial 16 – Page

2

4.

extent to which abusers of actual children are able to successfully evade prosecution by

claiming that there is reasonable doubt as to whether or not the children are able to

successfully evade prosecution by claiming that there is reasonable doubt as to whether

or not the children depicted are real or computer-generated.

The task force is to present its finding and recommendations for proposed legislation to an

appropriate interim committee no later than November 1, 2007.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the 2

nd

District Attorney’s office, o

ther agencies have studied morphing technology

and the effects thereof, including, but not limited to the National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children. Therefore, the work is already being done, just not specific to New Mexico.

EO/csd