New Mexico House unanimously passes bills to support sexual abuse survivors

Organ Mountain News report

SANTA FE - The New Mexico House of Representatives on Tuesday passed two bills aimed at expanding protections for survivors of sexual abuse.

House Bill 73 would extend the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving childhood sexual abuse. Under the bill, survivors could file claims against an abuser until their 58th birthday.

“When children are hurt, they deserve justice, and they should be given ample time to process their trauma and pursue that justice,” Rep. Marianna Anaya, D-Albuquerque, said in a statement. “This bill not only supports survivors in coming forward but will help prevent more children from being harmed.”

Anaya is leading the legislation along with Reps. Liz Thomson, D-Albuquerque; Nicole Chavez, R-Albuquerque; E. Diane Torres-Velásquez, D-Albuquerque; and Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque. The measure has a total of 19 sponsors.

The House also passed House Bill 87, which would update state law to clarify the definition of nonconsensual contact and align it with national standards.

“This important legislation updates state law to ensure abusers can be held accountable for all forms of inappropriate physical contact,” House Majority Whip Dayan Hochman-Vigil, D-Albuquerque, who is sponsoring the bill, said.

Both bills passed unanimously and now move to the Senate for consideration.

Lawmakers are advancing a series of proposals this session focused on public safety and victim support. Some of those measures have already been signed into law, including House Bill 8, a public safety package, and Senate Bills 1 and 3, aimed at expanding access to behavioral health care.

The House has also passed House Bill 255, which would expand programs for at-risk youth and increase accountability for certain juvenile offenders, and House Bill 12, which would make it easier for law enforcement to use New Mexico’s red flag law to temporarily remove firearms from people considered a danger to themselves or others.

This year’s state budget includes:

— $500,000 for crime victim reparations
— $2 million to support victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
— $10 million to build the capacity of local law enforcement agencies
— $4 million for law enforcement recruitment and retention
— Additional funding for state police salaries, vehicles, equipment and repairs

For a full list of legislation passed by the House, visit https://nmlegis.gov.