A New Mexico lawmaker whose son was murdered by a juvenile, expressed his anger this week after he committed crimes in favor of what the criminal justice bill calls the “Murder Scholarship” program.
State Senator Nicole Chavez of Albuquerque said Thursday that she was “sick” by the development.
“New Mexico Democrats voted for hand criminals like $2,000 a month, like my son’s murderer. A reward for a twist to crush my family,” Chavez said of the Monica of the “Murder Scholarship,” which was first dubbed by Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, earlier this month.
The bill would provide monthly scholarships to certain former prisoners under the age of 26 in search of educational opportunities and other ways to ride the proverbs straight narrow, according to multiple reports.
According to the bill’s text, it will fund the Juvenile Community Connection Fund, which will be used in programs that serve adjudicated delinquents and youth, establishing a panel to determine the next step for prisoners released from juvenile facilities.
“I sponsored HB 134 to provide justice and accountability, but they refused to come to the table,” Chavez said of the original bill.
Chavez’s bill, which had the support of Democratic Gov. Michel Lejean Grisham, was effectively fought by Democrats in the House.
HB 134 attempted to update New Mexico law in the 1970s that outlined the criminal justice process for juveniles, including moving violent crimes such as the first-degree murder of young teen suspects to adult courts.
NM lawmakers have argued that they will wipe out gun control bills.
According to the Pignon Post, Lejean Grisham and a handful of Democratic prosecutors supported the bill, but four Democrats from the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee successfully presented the bill, but have not seen any further movement as the session ends.
“This is not progress, it’s a knife at the heart of every parent who buried their children,” Chavez said Thursday. “New Mexico Democrats have chosen to turn their backs on the victims and their families and instead reward the criminals who have destroyed our lives.”
Instead, the “Murder Scholarship” bill was drawn and is said to have been passed at home earlier this month.
Montoya told Santa Fe New Mexicans that the new bill, HB 255, is “the perfect example of how progressive people think about crime, and that individuals don’t have to be responsible for their actions.” [in that they] They are somehow victims and we need to make sure they have the opportunity and we need to do everything we can to rehabilitate them, even if it means they do more than the victims. ”
Lejean Grisham did not respond to requests for comment on the latter bill.
NM teens 13 and 15 were charged with murder
The governor approved the criminal justice package earlier this month. This reportedly targeted fentanyl trafficking in border states and dealt with suspects deemed mentally inappropriate for trial and motor vehicle penalties for grand theft.
But she was accused by Republicans last week of supporting what conservatives called one of the strictest gun control laws. Meanwhile, another Top House Republican called the “Murder Scholarship” bill “another betrayal of New Mexicans.”
“The Democrats are forced through the law that gives boy murderers $2,000 a month scholarship and funded by the sweat of hardworking taxpayers. This is not compassion. This is a bloody reward that is a signal to every thug that crime pays in this state.”
R-Clovis Rep. Andrea Reeb added, “The murder scholarship should be wary of all New Mexicans who fear their safety,” and said the signal sent by the bill “really pays for crime.”
“Instead of passing common sense laws [from Chavez] … They play a political game at the expense of victims and taxpayers,” Reeve said, but R-Alamogod’s Rep. John Bullock added that in magical lands “victims are ignored.” Thugs are spoiled. ”
Fox News Digital has contacted responses from Senate Speaker Protem Mimi Stuart and House Speaker Javier Martinez, a Democrat from Albukerque.
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“Round House” in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Getty Images)
House majority leaders Reena Szczepanski and D-Santa Fe also did not respond by press time.
One Democrat, Santa Fe Rep. Andrea Romero, spoke to the Albuquerque Journal about her opposition to Chavez Bill, saying, “We’re talking about detaining and committing children.” Albuquerque prosecutors also cited a 57% increase in juvenile offences over the year to 2023.
Lejean Grisham told the paper he continues to urge lawmakers to “answer calls” on juvenile justice reform.
Charles Kraitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers the media, politics and culture of Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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