Bill > HM11

This Memorial requests the New Mexico Association of Counties, a group representing county governments in the state, to form a special committee, called a task force, to investigate the potential advantages, disadvantages, and practicality of combining all county-run detention facilities, which are places where people are held before trial or after conviction, into a single, statewide jail and prison system. The Memorial highlights that the current system of twenty-seven separate county facilities is inefficient, leads to wasted taxpayer money due to duplicated services like medical and mental health care, and causes administrative burdens with billing and disputes over responsibility. It points to other states that have unified systems as examples of potential benefits, such as cost savings through economies of scale and improved sharing of important information like medical records. The task force will include representatives from the New Mexico Association of Counties, the state Corrections Department, and the Administrative Office of the Courts, and it is required to report its findings to the legislature by December 1, 2022.