Gov. Bill Richardson is using this year's legislative session to tackle what he said is the biggest problem facing New Mexicans - DWI.
The governor, along with anti-DWI advocates from across the state, are making a stand at the state's Capitol against what they call lenient penalties for people caught driving under the influence of alcohol.
Richardson introduced House Bill 94 to the state Senate Thursday, which dramatically increases penalties for killing or injuring someone while driving drunk in New Mexico.
The bill has received almost unanimous support from the state's legislators and details harsher penalties for DWI offenders than ever before.
This includes the creation of a child endangerment law to ensure those who injure children while driving drunk are held to the highest extent of the law. The bill also suggests forcing multiple DWI offenders and those who drive drunk on a suspended license to forfeit their vehicles.
"We'll take the weapon out of their hands," Richardson said in a news release.
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The governor's decision to draft the bill came after a ruling by a state appeals court earlier this month that negated an earlier bill that would have strengthened DWI penalties.
Ben Lujan, speaker of the House in the Senate, said he and the other legislators understand the importance of ridding the state's streets of people driving while intoxicated. He said he sees no reason why the governor's bill won't be passed.
"We've put it on the top of our list, and we're going to do what we have to do to get this thing done," Lujan said.
Richardson is confident the Senate will see things his way, because he has received broad bipartisan support from the state's leaders on the proposed bill, said Pahl Shipley, a spokesman for the governor.
Shipley said Richardson could fight the decision of the appeals court through the judicial process, but he doesn't want to wait that long to see things change.
"Gov. Richardson feels very strongly that it is time to make a statement that the large toll DWI is taking on human life in this state won't be stood for any longer," Shipley said.
