Next week New Mexico lawmakers will discuss behavioral health and criminal justice, as well as the next steps for assisted outpatient treatment. (Photo by Anna Padilla for Source NM)
Next week New Mexico lawmakers will discuss behavioral health and criminal justice, as well as the next steps for assisted outpatient treatment.
The Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee will hear updates from Legislative Finance Committee analysts on Monday about criminal justice appropriations and recommendations on behavioral health and criminal justice.
“You’ll remember that the legislature has passed pretty healthy budget items intended to support both the state and local communities in their crime fighting efforts,” said committee chair Rep. Christine Chandler.
Behavioral health and competency are two topics that will lead the discussion throughout the committee meeting.
“We’ve always intended to continue the conversation,” Chandler (D-Los Alamos) said.
On Tuesday, New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Briana Zamora will provide the committee an update on the Supreme Court Commission on Mental Health and Competency. Zamora will be joined by representatives from the Administration Office of the Courts and the Second Judicial District.
New Mexico Chief Justice David Thomson and representatives from the First Judicial District Court are on the agenda to speak later in the day about next steps for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment program.
Competency and assisted outpatient treatment were two topics Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wanted addressed during the July special session, which she called with public safety legislation in mind.
The legislature and governor approved one bill which sent millions in state relief funding for those affected by the South Fork and Salt fires. The bill includes a $3 million appropriation to the administrative office of the courts for assisted outpatient treatment programs and competency diversion pilot programs.
Lujan Grisham criticized the legislature for not doing enough during the special session to address her public safety platform. The governor then took her cabinet and executive staff on a three city town hall tour to pitch the public on the agenda, where she listened to New Mexicans for at least 15 hours about their issues.
Chandler added that she has not heard from Lujan Grisham’s office about what role they will have during the presentations in the committee next week. At this time there are no members from the governor’s staff on the agenda to speak either day.
Lujan Grisham is in India until at least Aug. 10, according to her office. This week the governor participated in a roundtable discussion about energy that coincided with the opening of a lithium battery storage system at IIT-Madras Research Park in Tamil Nadu, India .
Back in Santa Fe, Chandler said lawmakers will be prepared to work on the public safety issues for New Mexicans.
“We’re going to continue to discuss issues that are of significant interest to people in the state, and certainly the ongoing interest in improving law enforcement activities will continue to be on future agendas, I would expect,” she said.
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