District 5 Sen. Richard Martinez, who has retained his seat since 2001, prefiled 19 bills for the 2019 New Mexico Legislative session.
Three of the bills revolve around Alzheimer’s Disease, a cause that he holds near and dear, he said. They focus on an Alzheimer’s Association state license plate, awareness day and the development of an Amber Alert for missing Alzheimer’s patients.
One bill he is carrying, the No Resources for Federal Immigration Law Bill, which former Governors Bill Richardson and Susana Martinez vetoed, frees local law enforcement agencies from having to enact federal immigration laws. Gaining support from local law enforcement, he hopes the third time is a charm, he said.
Four bills focus on the court system and include letting people over the age of 75 be exempt from jury duty, the transfer of municipal court jurisdiction, increased funding to support travel costs for traveling judges and allowing administrative officers of the courts to receive donation or grant funds to better perform their duties.
A major bill he is sponsoring, the Oil Conservation Division of Duties and Powers Bill, seeks to raise the penalties for oil and gas violations, which have not been raised since 1965, he said, and gives the New Mexico Attorney General the tools to prosecute cases.
Other bills include legislation around reimbursements for substance abuse centers, funding for housing and winterization projects for veterans and low-income families, stricter rules regarding on-line gun sales and annual legislation surrounding federal reimbursements as well as issues surrounding notification for water rights changing hands.
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