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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Lopez
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
3/01/2007
HB
SHORT TITLE Traffic Offense Decriminalization Task Force
SB SJM62
ANALYST McOlash
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
NFI
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Joint Memorial 62 requests the Administrative Office of the Courts to convene a Task
Force to study and make recommendations on the decriminalization of traffic offenses. The Joint
Memorial requests a Task Force report no later than November 2007.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
NFI
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
The Joint Memorial indicates that traffic warrants represent more than one-half of all outstanding
criminal warrants and that research data has demonstrated that criminal traffic warrants do not
deter a habitual traffic offender from disregarding traffic laws nor provide increased highway
safety. Nationally, state and local governments are examining the traffic citation warrant process
costs to the system. Some jurisdictions have amended traffic codes to provide for civil rather
than criminal penalties on traffic violations.
Senate Joint Memorial 62 requests that the Task Force include representatives from the New
Mexico Association of Counties, the Municipal League, the Public Defender Department, the
District Attorneys Association, and the Motor Vehicle Division.
BM/mt