The proposed bill seeks to enhance public safety by implementing significant reforms related to human trafficking, drug offenses, and juvenile justice in New Mexico. Key provisions include the removal of the statute of limitations for prosecuting human trafficking crimes, raising the age for sexual exploitation of children by prostitution from sixteen to eighteen, and introducing a new crime of operating a stash house. The bill also expands the definition of "racketeering" to encompass human trafficking and stash house operations, while amending the Controlled Substances Act to impose stricter penalties for drug trafficking that results in death, establishing a minimum twelve-year sentence for first offenses leading to fatalities. Additionally, it prohibits certain defenses in human trafficking prosecutions and adds victims of human trafficking to the Victims of Crime Act.

Further amendments focus on the treatment and rights of juvenile offenders, including the establishment of criteria for classifying "serious youthful offenders" and revising detention procedures to ensure judicial review and timely hearings. The bill emphasizes the need for community-based competency restoration for non-dangerous defendants and outlines specific circumstances under which a defendant may be deemed dangerous. It also clarifies the process for sealing juvenile records and eligibility for earned meritorious deductions for prisoners. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen legal frameworks surrounding human trafficking, drug offenses, and juvenile justice while ensuring the protection of victims and the rights of defendants.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 30-1-8, 30-6A-4, 30-31-20, 30-31-21, 30-31-22, 30-31-23, 30-52-1, 31-9-1.2, 31-9-1.3, 31-9-1.4, 31-9-1.5, 31-9-1.6, 31-9-2, 31-18-15, 31-26-3, 32A-2-2, 32A-2-3, 32A-2-4.1, 32A-2-8, 32A-2-11, 32A-2-12, 32A-2-13, 32A-2-14, 32A-2-17, 32A-2-18, 32A-2-19, 32A-2-20, 32A-2-22, 32A-2-23, 32A-2-23.1, 32A-2-24, 32A-2-26, 33-2-34, 43-1B-4, 32A-2-32.1