This bill amends the New Mexico Criminal Code to define "livestock" and revise the penalties for larceny involving livestock and firearms. The new definition of "livestock" includes various domestic and exotic animals used on farms or ranches, explicitly excluding canine and feline animals. Additionally, the bill introduces a new term, "head of livestock," which refers to a single animal.

The bill also modifies the larceny statutes to establish specific penalties based on the value of stolen livestock and firearms. It removes the previous blanket classification of livestock theft as a third-degree felony regardless of value and instead categorizes it based on the value of the stolen livestock. For example, theft of livestock valued at $2,500 or less is a third-degree felony, while theft of livestock valued over $20,000, particularly when multiple animals are involved, is classified as a second-degree felony. Similarly, the penalties for firearm theft are adjusted to reflect value thresholds, and the bill clarifies that each stolen head of livestock or firearm constitutes a separate offense.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 30-1-12, 30-16-1