Tag Archives: constitutional amendments

The Line: New Constitutional Amendment Proposed for Public Safety

May 24, 2019Linebail, Bernalillo County District Attorney, constitutional amendments, crime, defendants, District Attorney, innocent until proven guilty, New Mexico state police, police shootings, presumption of innocence, prosecution, prosecutors, Raul Torrez, state police, trialAshley Rammelsberg

May 24, 2019 – Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists discuss the perception by many Burqueños that the city is a dangerous place in which to live, and debate Bernalillo County District Attorney Raúl Torrez’s proposed constitutional amendment that would make it easier to detain certain people accused of a crime before they’re found guilty.

Line Panelists:
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group PR
Sophie Martin, attorney
Serge Martinez, professor, UNM School of Law
Rachel Sams, editor, Albuquerque Business First

For Further Reading:

BernCo DA unveils plan for defendant detention – by Katy Barnitz and Elise Kaplan, Albuquerque Journal

District Attorney Torrez introduces pretrial detention proposal – Rebecca Atkins, KRQE

Albuquerque shaken by crime – by Daniel J. Chacón, Santa Fe New Mexican

State Police role in ABQ questioned – by Elise Kaplan, Albuquerque Journal

The Line: Lawmakers Struggle To Create Ethics Commission

March 15, 2019Lineaccountability, constitutional amendments, corruption, ethics, ethics commission, independent ethics commission, subpoena power, transparencyAshley Rammelsberg

March 15, 2019 – While some bills never get past committees during a legislative session, lawmakers this year were ready to do two things: pass a budget bill and create a voter-approved independent ethics commission. But there have been many amendments to both the House and Senate’s versions of the ethics commission bill and there are still many details to iron out before this year’s legislative session ends on Saturday, March 16. Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists discuss the bills and amendments, and look at the disconnect between getting voters to approve vague constitutional amendments and actually crafting the legislation.

Line Panelists:
Merritt Allen, owner and executive director, Vox Optima LLC
Dede Feldman, former NM State Senator
Tom Garrity, the Garrity Group PR
Sophie Martin, attorney

For Further Reading:
Senate votes 40-0 to approve newly-drafted ethics commission bill – by Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico Senate approves ethics commission– by Milan Simonich, Santa Fe New Mexican