Legislative Roundup

Days remaining in session: 31

It's a boy!

House Minority Leader Brian Egolf suddenly interrupted a lengthy debate on the House floor Monday night to announce some good news: The wife of freshman Rep. Andres Romero, D-Albuquerque, just had a baby.

Both mother and son were doing well, Egolf said.

Domestic violence

Every female member of the House of Representatives has signed onto a bill that would give police officers 24 hours to arrest a domestic violence suspect without first getting a warrant.

"This is an important step in improving our laws to further protect victims of violence and abuse," said House Bill 462 sponsor Rep. Kelly Fajardo, R-Belen, in a news release issued by House Republicans. "It speaks volumes that every woman in the New Mexico House supports this legislation."

Under current law, someone who commits domestic violence can flee, and an officer may be required to obtain a warrant before arresting the suspect.

Rewarding whistleblowers

A bill designed to encourage those who know about fraud in local governments and school districts to report the crimes received a unanimous thumbs up in the Senate Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 208, sponsored by Senate Minority Whip Bill Payne, R-Albuquerque, would reward a percentage of penalties imposed by courts on fraudsters to the person who exposes the fraud. The bill also would include public schools and local governments in the state Fraud Against Taxpayers Act.

"Those who could expose the fraud in public schools and local government are reluctant to report wrongdoing," Payne said in a news release. "I believe fraud would be discouraged in schools and local government if officials knew employees and others are encouraged to report the abuse by being rewarded for their revelations."

The bill now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee.