SENATE BILL 442

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Jacob R. Candelaria

AN ACT

RELATING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE; CREATING THE BERNALILLO COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE REVIEW COMMISSION; PROVIDING DUTIES AND REQUIRING A REPORT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] BERNALILLO COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE REVIEW COMMISSION.--

          A. The "Bernalillo county criminal justice review commission" is created.

          B. The commission shall be composed of the following members or their designees:

                (1) the chief judge of the second judicial district;

                (2) the chief judge of the Bernalillo county metropolitan court;

                (3) the second judicial district attorney;

                (4) the Bernalillo county sheriff;

                (5) the chair of the board of county commissioners of Bernalillo county;

                (6) the chief of the Albuquerque police department;

                (7) the district public defender of the second judicial district;

                (8) the director of the administrative office of the courts, under the supervision and direction of the supreme court;

                (9) the region manager of region 2 of the adult probation and parole division of the corrections department; and

                (10) the executive director of the New Mexico association of counties.

          C. The director of the administrative office of the courts, or the director's designee, shall chair the Bernalillo county criminal justice review commission. The chair shall call the first meeting of the commission to take place within thirty days of the effective date of this section, and the commission shall subsequently meet at the call of the chair. The commission shall organize itself in a manner appropriate to accomplish its duties pursuant to this section. The commission may call upon any of its members' agencies or organizations to support the work of the commission.

          D. The Bernalillo county criminal justice review commission is charged with reviewing the criminal justice system in Bernalillo county, including the judicial process, sentencing, community corrections alternatives and jail overcrowding, for the purposes of identifying changes that will improve each members' agency's or organization's ability to carry out its duties in the criminal justice system and ensuring that criminal justice is indeed just. State agencies shall provide prompt and pertinent responses to reasonable commission requests for information or support.

          E. Following its review of the Bernalillo county criminal justice system, the Bernalillo county criminal justice review commission shall make written recommendations for revisions or alternatives to local and state laws that in the determination of the commission will serve to improve the delivery of criminal justice in Bernalillo county. A copy of the report shall be provided to each member of the board of county commissioners of Bernalillo county, to the administrative office of the courts, to the New Mexico association of counties, to the legislative finance committee and to the appropriate interim legislative committee.

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