State Rep. Bill Rehm (R-N.M.) | New Mexico Legislature
State Rep. Bill Rehm (R-N.M.) has initiated several bills aiming to curb crime in New Mexico. Rehm, a retired captain from the Bernalillo County sheriff's office, believes these bills would be advantageous for New Mexican citizens if enacted. Consequently, he penned a letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), seeking her support.
Rehm expressed his concerns about the current state of crime in New Mexico, stating, "Crime has been a major topic of frustration for many New Mexicans who feel unsafe and unheard, and I continue to see statistics showing the majority of crimes committed in New Mexico are by repeat offenders and by those who have been arrested but have been released under the current, ill-advised 'catch and release' pre-trial process." He further criticized the legislative process saying, "Yet, session after session, legislation is introduced that would ensure criminals are held accountable for their actions, but these same proposals are summarily rejected in both House and Senate committees."
According to a press release, the proposed anti-crime bills aim to thwart repeat offenders. They propose enhanced penalties for felons possessing firearms, introduce a new crime category for carrying a gun while trafficking controlled substances, aim to prevent catalytic converter thefts and seek to clarify the state’s embezzlement statute.
Rehm also wrote to Grisham requesting her to include these five bills in the agenda for the forthcoming 30-day session. In his letter, he emphasized that these issues should transcend party lines with both "Republicans and Democrats focusing our attention on the root causes of criminal behavior."
Further in his letter, Rehm elucidated his rationale behind emphasizing certain aspects in these crime bills. He said that "We should commit to work together to increase resources for rehabilitation and treatment of drug addiction and mental health disorders that lead some people to a life of crime. We also must recognize that any solution to the crime problem must include prioritizing keeping the most dangerous criminals off our streets. The people of New Mexico have had enough with the prevailing soft on crime approach."
The press release also mentioned that under the New Mexican constitution, issues not related to budget or revenue need the governor's clearance to be considered in the 30-day session. This was Rehm's motivation behind writing this letter to Grisham.
According to Ballotpedia, Rehm has been serving in the New Mexico House of Representatives since 2006 and his current term is due to expire on Dec. 31, 2024.
