SANTA FE, N.M. – About every member of the House Republican Caucus got together Thursday morning to voice their frustrations with a new omnibus public safety package headed to the House floor for a vote.

“We don’t believe this crime package addresses what the everyday citizens in New Mexico, prosecutors, victims want to see,” said state Rep. Andrea Reeb.

But, three of Republican state Rep. Andrea Reeb’s bills are in the package, including a proposal to rework some of the state’s DWI laws.

“I do believe that the DWI bill will save New Mexicans, and I do want it in the crime package,” said Reeb. 

But she still voted no on it, alongside fellow Republicans who insist juvenile justice reform must be included.

“We must address juvenile violence. If we fail to do that, we have failed our duty to protect those that have put us in this very office,” said state Rep. Nicole Chavez.  

There is a juvenile justice reform bill on the table, House Bill 134, and Republicans Reeb and Chavez are sponsors. So why isn’t it in the public safety package?

“First of all, the bill that has been filed hasn’t made out yet out of its first committee. That’s point one,” said state Rep. Christine Chandler. 

Chandler says all six bills inside the public safety package already cleared House committees this year, and bundling them together will get them moving faster, so there’s more time to debate other public safety bills like juvenile justice reform.

“There are other bills that are on the docket, making their way to House judiciary, and I expect that we’re going to be thoughtful about those bills. And if they have merit, we will pass them out of our committee, and they will make it to the floor,” Chandler said. 

Some Republican leaders admit there’s still a lot of time left to get through everything.

“We can do both. I don’t care what package it’s added to, let’s just get it done. You can call it whatever you want. Let’s move on some of these bills that are actually going to make a difference,” said state Rep. Alan Martinez. 

Several Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee said they support many of the bills included in the package. So we’ll see what happens when the full House votes on the package.

As for those juvenile justice reforms, it’s not exactly clear what the hold up is. House Republican leaders say they’re being told it’s too big a lift, but Chandler told KOB 4 she hasn’t heard that from any top Democrats. So it seems there’s still conversations happening behind the scenes. 

There are at least five weeks left of the legislative session.