Days remaining in session: 6

Anti-corruption bill passes Senate: The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill that would add prison time to sentences of public officials convicted of corruption-related crimes and make it possible for such officials to lose at least part of their state pensions.

Last week, the House passed a similar bill.

Under Senate Bill 197, sponsored by Sen. Bill Payne, R-Albuquerque, corrupt officials would be subject to a separate trial to determine possible additional penalties to the basic criminal sentence. Fines could not exceed the value of the official's salary and benefits. The bill now goes to the House.

House Bill 111, sponsored by Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, which now is in the Senate, was opposed by 26 House Democrats.

One of those no votes, House Speaker Ben Luján, told a reporter Thursday that he voted against the bill because he feared the law could be used against acequia board members falsely accused of crimes.

The speaker predicted the Senate would send that bill back to the House with amendments that would satisfy members' concerns. "It'll pass unanimously," he said.

Senate panel dumps statute-of-limitations bill: After Sen. Bill Payne's SB 37, which would do away with the statute of limitations on all homicides, squeaked out of the Senate Public Affairs Committee with serious amendments, even its biggest supporters said it was on life support. On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee pulled the plug.

The bill was inspired by the case of Michael Snyder, an Albuquerque mechanic who had been missing since 2002. In 2010, his body was found buried next to the house he had built for his family in Albuquerque.

His widow, Ellen Snyder, was accused of killing him, burying the body and lying to police, claiming Michael Snyder left his family after an argument. However, prosecutors thought charging her with first-degree murder would be too risky, and the statute of limitations for second-degree murder is only six years. So, in a plea deal, Snyder pleaded last year to voluntary manslaughter and other charges. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Michael Snyder's sisters had lobbied legislators to pass the bill.

Opponents argued the bill would increase the risk of homicide cases based on faulty evidence. The bill was opposed by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Civil Liberties Union and the New Mexico Women's Justice Project.

Quick to react to the tabling was a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez, who called for the bill in her State of the State address.

"I think most New Mexicans would agree with the governor that no one in our state should be able to murder someone and get away with it by simply running out the clock," Scott Darnell said in an email. "Sadly, the trial lawyer lobby overwhelmed common sense and public safety among senators on the judiciary committee, but the governor will continue to fight alongside the family of Michael Snyder and others who unfortunately know first-hand why this law is so necessary."

Fair foreclosure: A bill backed by state Attorney General Gary King was recommended Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"This measure gives New Mexico homeowners facing foreclosure a fighting chance to save their homes," King said of SB 1, which is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen.

The bill would prohibit the "dual-track" practice, in which a creditor works on loss mitigation with the homeowner while at the same time initiating a court action to foreclose on the home. Bill supporters say this results in additional legal costs to the homeowner and increases the risk of foreclosure before the loss-mitigation process is completed.

Looking ahead: SB 11, a campaign-reform bill sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, is on Friday's Senate floor calendar. The bill would require independent groups and political-action committees spending more than $3,000 in support of or opposing a political candidate to report the expenditure to the Secretary of State within three days of spending the money. (Being on the calendar is no guarantee that a bill actually will be heard on that day.)

• Gov, Susana Martinez's nomination of Jon Barela for secretary of the Economic Development Department is scheduled to be heard at 8:30 a.m. by the Senate Rules Committee in Room 321.

• Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, will appear on KNME's Report from Santa Fe at 8 a.m. Sunday on Channel 5.



ON OUR WEBSITE

• Follow legislative coverage at www.santafenewmexican.com/legislature.

• Read Steve Terrell's blog, www.roundhouseroundup.com.

• Subscribe to our updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thenewmexican.