New law makers it easier for elderly to opt out of jury duty
April 7, 2021
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Democratic state Rep. Roger Montoya of Velarde works on a laptop in the state Capitol rotunda in Santa Fe, N.M., in the final hours of a 60-day legislative session on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The Democrat-led Legislature has charted an economic exit from the COVID-19 pandemic and checked off progressive priorities on policing reforms, abortion rights, medical aid in dying and child poverty.Morgan Lee/AP
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico residents 75 and older can easily decline to participate in jury trials by calling a court office or using an online option, under legislation signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
New Mexico Eliminates Police Immunity From Prosecution -
By Morgan Lee Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed civil rights reforms Wednesday that eliminate police immunity from prosecution in state courts, in response to protests and concerns about police brutality that have swept the nation.
Lujan Grisham signed the Democrat-sponsored bill amid the trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on murder charges in the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd. Video of Floyd, losing consciousness while pinned to the pavement by police officers, triggered a national reckoning over racism and police brutality.
¨This is not an anti-police bill, Lujan Grisham said in a news release. This bill does not endanger any first responder or public servant so long as they conduct themselves professionally within the bounds of our constitution and with a deep and active respect for the sacred rights it guarantees all of us.