44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

REQUESTING THE JUDICIARY TO ISSUE THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE TO PERSONS CONVICTED OF HATE CRIMES.

WHEREAS, Congress has defined a hate crime as "a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim . . . because of the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual orientation of any person"; and

WHEREAS, the legislature of the state of New Mexico abhors the commission of hate crimes committed in the state of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, all crimes, and especially hate crimes, demand proper response by our criminal justice system;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that our state judiciary, if it determines that a crime is committed because of the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual orientation of a victim, impose the maximum allowable statutory sentence when sentencing a person who has committed such a crime; and

BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.