HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL 114

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM; PROVIDING JUDICIAL DISCRETION IN IMPOSING HABITUAL OFFENDER SENTENCING ENHANCEMENTS; EXCLUDING SIMPLE POSSESSION FROM THE DEFINITION OF "PRIOR FELONY CONVICTION".

 

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

     SECTION 1. Section 31-18-17 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1977, Chapter 216, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:

     "31-18-17. HABITUAL OFFENDERS--ALTERATION OF BASIC SENTENCE.--

          A. A person convicted of a noncapital felony in this state whether within the Criminal Code or the Controlled Substances Act or not, but not including a conviction for a felony pursuant to the provisions of Section 66-8-102 NMSA 1978 or for simple possession as defined in this section, who has incurred one prior felony conviction that was part of a separate transaction or occurrence or conditional discharge under Section 31-20-13 NMSA 1978 is a habitual offender, and [his] the habitual offender's basic sentence [shall] may be increased by up to one year. [The sentence imposed pursuant to this subsection shall not be suspended or deferred, unless the court makes a specific finding that the prior felony conviction and the instant felony conviction are both for nonviolent felony offenses and that justice will not be served by imposing a mandatory sentence of imprisonment and that there are substantial and compelling reasons, stated on the record, for departing from the sentence imposed pursuant to this subsection.]

          B. A person convicted of a noncapital felony in this state whether within the Criminal Code or the Controlled Substances Act or not who has incurred two prior felony convictions that were parts of separate transactions or occurrences or conditional discharge under Section 31-20-13 NMSA 1978 is a habitual offender, and [his] the habitual offender's basic sentence [shall] may be increased by up to four years. [The sentence imposed by this subsection shall not be suspended or deferred.]

          C. A person convicted of a noncapital felony in this state whether within the Criminal Code or the Controlled Substances Act or not who has incurred three or more prior felony convictions that were parts of separate transactions or occurrences or conditional discharge under Section 31-20-13 NMSA 1978 is a habitual offender, and [his] the habitual offender's basic sentence [shall] may be increased by up to eight years. [The sentence imposed by this subsection shall not be suspended or deferred.]

          D. As used in this section, "prior felony conviction" means:

                (1) a conviction, when less than ten years have passed prior to the instant felony conviction since the person completed serving [his] the sentence or period of probation or parole for the prior felony, whichever is later, for a prior felony committed within New Mexico whether within the Criminal Code or not, but not including a conviction for a felony pursuant to the provisions of Section 66-8-102 NMSA 1978 or a conviction for simple possession as defined in this section; or

                (2) a prior felony, other than a conviction equivalent to an offense pursuant to the provisions of Section 66-8-102 NMSA 1978 or simple possession as defined in this section, when less than ten years have passed prior to the instant felony conviction since the person completed serving [his] the sentence or period of probation or parole for the prior felony, whichever is later, for which the person was convicted other than an offense triable by court martial if [(a)] the conviction was rendered by a court of another state, the United States, a territory of the United States or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and:

                     [(b)] (a) the offense was punishable, at the time of conviction, by death or a maximum term of imprisonment of more than one year; or

                     [(c)] (b) the offense would have been classified as a felony in this state at the time of conviction.

          [E. As used in this section, "nonviolent felony offense" means application of force, threatened use of force or a deadly weapon was not used by the offender in the commission of the offense.]

          E. As used in this section, "simple possession" means possession of a controlled substance pursuant to Section 30-31-23 NMSA 1978 or possession of a dangerous drug pursuant to Subsection E of Section 26-1-16 NMSA 1978."

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