Child Abuse Bills Advance

Las Cruces Sun-News
January 30, 2012

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_19832239

Two bills to combat child abuse introduced by Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia, D-Do-a Ana, cleared the Senate Public Affairs Committee on Thursday evening.

They are SB58, which defines criminal sexual penetration of a child under 5 as "aggravated criminal sexual penetration," making it eligible for a life sentence; and SB59, which makes the murder of a child under 13 with an aggravating circumstance eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole, the toughest sentence available in New Mexico.

Other bills in the child-abuse package introduced by Garcia are SB57 - Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Task Force and SB64 - Child Abuse Public Awareness Campaign. SB57 was found to be not germane for the 2012 legislative session, meaning it can not advance. SB64 has passed its first committee and will next be heard by the Senate Finance Committee.