SANTA FE, N.M. – Improving public safety is a top priority for legislative leaders. They promised to get new public safety laws passed in the first 30 days of the session. 

The Senate spent Friday afternoon debating the House’s public safety package. This happened six days after the package cleared the House floor, which is fast for the Roundhouse.

The public safety package is a collection of six bills moving together as one massive proposal. It includes an expansive plan to rework New Mexico’s criminal competency laws, along with bills banning gun conversion devices, reworking the state’s DWI blood testing laws, and proposals increasing the punishments for shooting threats, fentanyl trafficking and vehicle thefts. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee made a few changes to the bill earlier this week. Republican senators proposed even more amendments Friday, including last-ditch efforts to squeeze in a swatting bill and some juvenile justice measures.

“This is our last opportunity to get some meaningful changes in here that will address specifically the juvenile crime rate that we’ve seen,” said state Sen. Crystal Brantley. 

House Republicans have argued the public safety package just doesn’t go for enough. But, this isn’t the last chance. There is a major juvenile justice reform bill this year, and lawmakers are expecting to debate that in the coming weeks.

None of those Republican amendments made it into the bill, and the Senate eventually approved the entire package on a 38-3 vote, despite some lingering concerns on both sides of the aisle.

“I think this will send a strong message that we were listening to folks back home, that we care. But ultimately, this is going to amount to just bad public policy and exacerbate a failed war on drugs,” said state Sen. Moe Maestas. 

“I think most of us on this side have agreed that we did move the ball today. We moved the ball down the field, but we certainly didn’t score. And I don’t even think we got a first down,” said state Sen. William Sharer. 

The public safety package is now headed back to the House for final approval, which could happen in the coming days. Then, it’s off to the governor’s desk for signature.

Despite the debate, most lawmakers agree the bills inside the package will make an impact in one way or another. 

There’s still seven weeks to debate even more public safety bills.