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Committee clears technical cleanup to competency statutes
Summary
HB52, a technical bill to correct cross-references and numbering in criminal competency statutes, received broad support from prosecutors and law enforcement and passed committee 6–0; a law-school commenter raised constitutional concerns about related juvenile provisions in other bills.
The sponsor described House Bill 52 as a technical cleanup to fix renumbering and cross-reference issues that followed earlier statutory amendments to competency law. The committee heard supportive testimony from the governor’s office and the New Mexico State Police stressing the need for consistent statutory language.
Caitlin Orenda, a University of New Mexico law student participating by Zoom, said some related juvenile provisions raised constitutional concerns under Article 2, Section 18 of the New Mexico Constitution; the sponsor and committee members noted she was likely commenting on a different bill later on the agenda. Committee members agreed HB52 is primarily technical and not intended to change substantive law.
The committee moved and recorded a due pass of 6 to 0 on HB52. The bill will proceed for further action.
