Moving into the final two weeks of the legislative session, the New Mexico State Senate convened for a Saturday floor session on March 8, 2025. The business conducted included the passage of Senate Bill 353, which aims to streamline the activation process for search and rescue operations across New Mexico.
Senate Bill 353 was passed by a vote of 31-3. It is designed to expedite the notification process to the Department of Public Safety, allowing state search and rescue resources to be activated immediately. This measure is expected to increase the chances of successfully finding missing persons alive.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Jeff Steinborn from Las Cruces and Senator Shannon Pinto from Tohatchi. Under current law, local search and rescue organizations must wait for an official activation notice and case number from the New Mexico State Police, which can waste crucial initial hours after authorities receive a distress signal.
"New Mexico is home to the most beautiful sites, but that can come with dangerous terrain or other unexpected hazards," said Senator Jeff Steinborn. "This bill is a straightforward fix that will make sure that if disaster strikes when you’re out and about, not a single minute is wasted to get the people and resources to where they are needed."
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