I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Monday evening the Senate Judiciary Committee brought one step closer to law a bill that would prevent domestic violence offenders from working as law enforcement officers. HB 17, co-sponsored by Rep. Nathan Cote and Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, would remove a current officer’s certification for three years or prohibit a person from obtaining certification within three years of conviction for a domestic violence crime.
Federal regulations already prohibit a person convicted of a felony domestic violence crime from owning a firearm, and HB 17 hopes to add other crimes such as stalking, aggravated stalking and misdemeanor assault to the list of offenses that prohibit a person from becoming a law enforcement officer. Currently, misdemeanors such as DWI already prohibit people from becoming or continuing to be police officers.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez was the only no vote in a discussion that did not mirror the explosive debate seen when the bill was in the House Judiciary Committee.
Sen. William Payne, who ultimately voted for the bill, asked Cote, about the previous issues. Though last year a similar bill passed the House unanimously, this year the bill passed the House by a vote of 48-18.
Cote clarified saying that the law, “does not require law enforcement convicted to be automatically kicked off the force.” Instead it takes the matter to the law enforcement board, which reviews the facts and circumstances of each individual case before a decision about licensure is made.
