0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 22
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          JOE NESTOR CHAVEZ
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING MUNICIPAL, MAGISTRATE AND DISTRICT JUDGES TO USE
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0012|     IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICES AS PART OF THE PROBATION OR
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0013|     SENTENCE FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, driving while intoxicated is a serious criminal
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0016|     justice problem in New Mexico; and
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0017|          WHEREAS, when a drunk cannot drive, someone else may be
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0018|     saved from death or bodily harm; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, ignition interlock systems, an offender-funded
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0020|     program rather than a taxpayer-funded program, is an effective
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0021|     tool to stop intoxicated persons from driving; and
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0022|          WHEREAS, the system works by requiring a driver to pass
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0023|     an alcohol breath test each time he tries to drive; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, the system provides the court, probation
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0025|     officers and others with important monitoring information,
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0001|     including the number of times a defendant tried to drive and
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0002|     failed because of intoxication; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, this means of reducing the number of drunk
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0004|     drivers on our streets and highways should be part of the
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0005|     sentencing options available to trial judges;
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0006|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0007|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that municipal, magistrate and district
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0008|     judges be encouraged to use ignition interlock systems as part
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0009|     of the sentencing, including probation, of defendants found
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0010|     guilty of driving while intoxicated; and
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0011|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each court consider ignition
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0012|     interlock systems for both first-time offenders and repeat
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0013|     offenders; and
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0014|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0015|     sent to all municipal, magistrate and district judges; the
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0016|     supreme court; and the administrative office of the courts.
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0017|                              
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