Carla Sonntag, president and CEO of the New Mexico Business Coalition (NMBC), said that a recent poll indicates strong bipartisan support for tougher crime laws. The NMBC highlights legislative inaction on House Bill 107 (HB 107) and House Bill 136 (HB 136). Sonntag made these remarks in a press release on February 13.
"Stiffer penalties for drug dealers," said Sonntag. "Add fentanyl to the list of child abuse issues."
According to the press release, a CWS Research poll found that 93% of New Mexico voters support tougher penalties for fentanyl and other drug dealers, with unanimous backing from 18-24-year-olds and Latino respondents. Additionally, 94% of voters support holding repeat violent offenders without bail, a stance that crosses party lines. Sonntag said rejecting HB 107, which proposed stricter penalties for drug dealers, directly contradicts public opinion.
House Bill 107 was introduced during the 2025 Regular Session of the New Mexico Legislature. It proposes enhanced penalties for drug trafficking offenses, particularly those involving fentanyl. The bill calls for a nine-year prison sentence for a first offense of fentanyl trafficking that does not result in death and a 12-year sentence if an overdose death occurs. However, on February 8, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee tabled the bill, halting its progression.
House Bill 136 proposes amending Section 30-6-1 of the New Mexico Statutes to classify the intentional exposure of a child to fentanyl as prima facie evidence of child abuse. This change would align fentanyl exposure with existing provisions that consider methamphetamine exposure as evidence of child abuse. The bill was referred to the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on January 27 and remains under consideration as of February 14.
Sonntag advocates for businesses in New Mexico through her role at NMBC, established in 2009. During the COVID-19 shutdowns, she pushed for a reopening plan and authored legislation to prevent rising unemployment insurance costs, according to ABQ Connect.
