REQUESTING THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE INTERIM COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEMS, PENALTIES AND POSSIBLE PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH MINORS WHO ARE FOUND POSSESSING ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

WHEREAS, minors are vulnerable to alcohol and substance abuse; and

WHEREAS, minors are vulnerable to peer pressure and likely to associate substance abuse with "fitting in" and being accepted by peers and getting attention from their families; and

WHEREAS, minors are likely to abuse drugs and alcohol to escape personal problems because they are young, physically vulnerable to becoming addicted and have less knowledge about the dangers of substance abuse; and

WHEREAS, minors are targeted by the media's glamorization of teen consumption and usage of alcohol and drugs; and

WHEREAS, forty percent of traffic crash deaths involving minors in 1997 also involved alcohol; and

WHEREAS, almost eight percent of driving while intoxicated convictions in New Mexico in 1997 involved drivers who were minors; and

WHEREAS, a minor is killed in a traffic crash in New Mexico every seven days; and

WHEREAS, these alarming numbers result in minors being an at-risk population due to alcohol and substance abuse;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the appropriate legislative interim committee with jurisdiction over juvenile justice issues hear testimony from the state highway and transportation department, the teen mobilization program associated with the traffic safety bureau of the state highway and transportation department, teen court programs, tri-county red ribbon education students, students against destructive decisions, juvenile probation officers, law enforcement, the administrative office of the courts and any other appropriate person or entity regarding matters of existing enforcement penalties, prevention programs and general concerns relating to minors convicted of possession of alcohol or controlled substances and minors convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appropriate interim committee with jurisdiction over juvenile justice issues make recommendations to the legislature prior to December 15, 1999 regarding penalties and prevention programs relating to minors convicted of possession of alcohol or controlled substances and minors convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state highway and transportation department, the DWI grant council, the university of New Mexico institute of public law, the Torrance county DWI prevention coordinator to be distributed to the students who provided assistance with this memorial at Moriarty, Mountainair and Estancia public schools, the teen mobilization program associated with the traffic safety bureau of the state highway and transportation department and the members of the appropriate legislative interim committee with jurisdiction over juvenile justice issues.