SANTA FE, N.M. — It was just one year ago when a man reportedly broke into Anissa Tinnin’s Albuquerque home while she was babysitting her granddaughter.

“It was the most terrifying, longest 13 or 14 minutes of our lives,” Tinnin said.

Tinnin was forced to grab her gun and shoot the invader before police got on scene.

That man — who has a lengthy criminal history — was eventually arrested on car theft and burglary charges, even though Tinnin said he didn’t steal anything from her home.

“There are laws that can be charged to individuals that go into your home, and that’s burglary,” she said. “But he did not burglarize us. He terrorized us. And we are the only state in the southwest region, other than Colorado, that does not have a specific home invasion bill.”

And she is trying to change that. Tinnin recruited a bipartisan group of state lawmakers to carry a bill making home invasions a second-degree felony in New Mexico. Tinnin said she has support from the District Attorney’s Association and the governor’s office, and yet, the bill is still stuck at the starting line

“There’s no reason this bill should not get passed,” Tinnin said. “Other than Senator (Joseph) Cervantes, who is the committee chair for judiciary, is picking and choosing what bills he wants to call.”

Tinnin said she’s done everything she can, including a massive text message campaign, to compel Democratic State Senator Cervantes to put the bill on his committee’s agenda. And she said he’s refusing.

“And I was told that because of my behavior, that my bill might not get heard,” Tinnin said.

Senator Cervantes was not available for an interview Monday to discuss this.

It’s worth noting his committee already approved other crime bills, including Republican-backed plans to expand the state’s racketeering laws and create the crime of swatting, which are not new to state lawmakers.

“They know that information, and they’re ready to pass that forward,” said Sen. Craig Brandt (R – District 40 – Rio Rancho). “I think the home invasion bill, although I like it, I think it’s great. I’m not sure that they know it yet.”

While the legislature can move fast on certain proposals, it seems this is the last week to get some of those newer bills moving before lawmakers prioritize the ones closer to the finish line.