SENATE BILL 196

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

INTRODUCED BY

Linda M. Lopez and Susan K. Herrera

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO CHILDREN; CREATING THE CHILDREN'S CODE REFORM TASK FORCE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

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

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--CHILDREN'S CODE REFORM TASK FORCE--DUTIES.--

          A. The "Children's Code reform task force" is created. The task force shall function from the date of its appointment until December 1, 2022.

          B. The children's court improvement commission of the New Mexico supreme court shall appoint members to serve on the task force from:

                (1) the house of representatives;

                (2) the senate;

                (3) the children, youth and families department;

                (4) children's court judges;

                (5) the department of health;

                (6) the human services department; 

                (7) the public education department;

                (8) the workforce solutions department;

                (9) the department of public safety;

                (10) the corrections department;

                (11) the economic development department;

                (12) the administrative office of the courts;

                (13) the children's court improvement commission;

                (14) local law enforcement agencies;

                (15) the legislative finance committee;

                (16) the public defender department's juvenile division;

                (17) the New Mexico district attorneys' association;

                (18) the governments of New Mexico Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;

                (19) the tribal-state judicial consortium;

                (20) the substitute care advisory council;

                (21) the New Mexico CASA network;

                (22) the children's court mediation program;

                (23) the university of New Mexico school of law's Corinne Wolfe center for child and family justice;

                (24) the New Mexico tribal Indian children welfare consortium;

                (25) parents', children's and youth attorneys;

                (26) mental health service providers;

                (27) former foster youth;

                (28) system-involved parents;

                (29) New Mexico voices for children;

                (30) NMCAN;

                (31) New Mexico appleseed;

                (32) the university of New Mexico school of medicine's department of pediatrics;

                (33) representatives of the university of New Mexico school of medicine's department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences who have experience working with children;

                (34) the university of New Mexico school of medicine's department of family and community medicine;

                (35) a nonprofit legal firm representing foster children, grandparents and kin;

                (36) a nonprofit organization serving families and children through counseling and social programs;

                (37) the national council of juvenile and family court judges;  

                (38) other children and family policy community advocacy and stakeholder groups;

                (39) the New Mexico sentencing commission; and

                (40) the Indian affairs department.

          C. Members of the task force who are not state employees or otherwise reimbursed for per diem and mileage expenses are entitled to per diem and mileage as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          D. Staff for the task force shall be provided by the children's court improvement commission of the New Mexico supreme court.

          E. The task force shall study and make recommendations for amendments to the Children's Code.

          F. The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor, the legislative finance committee, the legislative health and human services committee, the interim legislative committee that studies courts, corrections and justice issues and other appropriate interim committees by December 1, 2022.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the administrative office of the courts for expenditure in fiscal year 2022 for the Children's Code reform task force to study and assess the Children's Code. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2022 shall revert to the general fund.