SENATE MEMORIAL 50

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Antoinette Sedillo Lopez

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE CRIME VICTIMS REPARATION COMMISSION TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT.

 

     WHEREAS, domestic violence is a pervasive and harrowing experience that affects a large number of New Mexicans; and

     WHEREAS, there were approximately nineteen thousand reports of domestic violence by law enforcement in New Mexico in 2018, as reported by the program evaluation unit of the legislative finance committee in October 2019; and

     WHEREAS, the Family Violence Protection Act is primarily geared toward protecting the rights of victims of domestic violence; and

     WHEREAS, under the Family Violence Protection Act, an act of domestic violence involves household members in incidences of physical harm, severe emotional distress, bodily injury or assault and criminal trespassing, among other incidents; and

     WHEREAS, the crime victims reparation commission provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime with expenses incurred as a result of their victimization; and

     WHEREAS, the crime victims reparation commission works to assist victims by administering the crime victims' compensation program, which includes victims of domestic violence, and convenes the New Mexico intimate partner violence review team, also known as the domestic violence homicide review team, and has a strong administrative staff; and

     WHEREAS, the Family Violence Protection Act was enacted in 1987 and was last updated in 1999;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the crime victims reparation commission be requested to convene an inclusive a task force to review the Family Violence Protection Act and to propose updates to the act; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the director of the crime victims reparation commission be requested to include the following participants or their representatives in the task force:

          A. the children, youth and families department domestic violence programs coordinator;

          B. family court judges;

          C. the family law section of the state bar of New Mexico;

          D. the New Mexico coalition against domestic violence;

          E. the administrative office of the courts;

          F. representatives of law enforcement; and

          G. representatives of other agencies working on domestic violence issues, drawing on the expertise of governmental organizations and nonprofit service providers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that findings and recommendations of the task force be presented to the interim legislative committee that deals with courts, corrections and justice issues by December 1, 2020; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the secretary of children, youth and families, the executive director of the New Mexico coalition against domestic violence and the director of the administrative office of the courts.

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