Thread: NM-Governor Richardson signs bill revamping auto theft penal

Governor Richardson signs bill revamping auto theft penalties

By Barry Massey / The Associated Press
Posted: 04/09/2009 12:41:25 PM MDT

SANTA FE — Gov. Bill Richardson has signed legislation into law to crack down on auto theft.

Under the new law, New Mexico will impose tougher penalties for repeat offenses of auto theft and the seriousness of the crime will no longer depend on the value of the vehicle that's stolen.

The law takes effect in July. A first conviction of auto theft will be a fourth-degree felony. That's punishable by 18 months in prison. A second offense is a third-degree felony, which can carry a three-year prison sentence. It will be a second-degree felony — with a basic sentence of nine years — for three or more convictions of auto theft. The same graduated penalties will apply to receiving or transferring stolen vehicles.

Under current law, auto theft is a fourth-degree felony if the vehicle is values less than $2,500 and a third-degree felony for automobiles worth more than $2,500.

"Auto theft is often linked to other crimes like robbery, drugs and identity theft," Richardson said Wednesday in a statement. "So not only are we getting tougher on auto theft, we are also cracking down on crime in New Mexico."

Auto theft is the nation's leading property crimes and costs about $7.6 billion a year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The non-profit group, based in Des Plaines, Ill., focuses on stopping insurance fraud and auto theft.

Richardson traveled to Albuquerque and Roswell to sign bills. Friday is the deadline for Richardson to sign or veto

bills that were approved during the recently completed legislative session.
One measure signed by Richardson will help full-time firefighters receive worker's compensation coverage of injuries and illnesses, including cancer, strokes and heart attacks.

The new law creates a legal presumption that certain injuries and illnesses are job-related unless an employer, such as a city, proves otherwise. It takes effect in July 2010. Opponents during the legislative session said the change will increase the costs of worker's compensation premiums for local governments across New Mexico.

The law "says 'thanks' to our firefighters, the more than 1,300 men and women who risk their lives and health for the safety and well-being of the rest of us," according to Richardson.

Also signed by Richardson were measures to:

—Toughen child abuse laws. Intentionally exposing a child to methamphetamine use will be considered legally sufficient evidence of child abuse, unless proven otherwise.

—Make it a crime to damage jointly owned property to try to intimidate or harass a spouse or household members. Supporters say the new law will assist in prosecuting domestic violence offenders who might otherwise avoid charges by claiming they were damaging their own property.

—Prohibit importing wild hogs into the state and ban commercial feral hog hunting operations.

—Require co-payments by Medicaid patients who use emergency rooms for expensive medical services if their conditions didn't require emergency treatment.

—Make the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management a cabinet-level agency and its secretary must be confirmed by the state Senate. The independent agency has not part of the governor's cabinet under state law and the department's director served as its chief administrative officer. The new law takes effect immediately.

—Revise election laws, including giving county clerks flexibility in the hours that early voting sites will be open. Counties also could designate tiny, rural precincts as mail ballot precincts, in which residents will be mailed absentee ballots.

The auto theft bills are SB26 and HB31. The firefighters worker's compensation bill is SB303. The child abuse bill is HB117. The domestic abuse bill is SB4. The feral hog bills are HB594 and SB504. The Medicaid co-payment bill is HB438. The homeland security bill is HB318. The elections measure is SB685.

Governor: www.gov.state.nm.us

Legislature: www.nmlegis.gov

Secretary of state: www.sos.state.nm.us

http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_12107958

So he's finally out of hiding?

Next stop PRISON hopefully.

"Auto theft is often linked to other crimes like robbery, drugs and identity theft," Richardson said

This is his precious illegals part-time jobs! Can he handle the truth?
I don't think so. Can't wait till his court case.