Responding to Omicron Spread, Combatting Crime & Lawmaker Transparency | 1.7.22

The Line Panel reacts to the most recent updates from the Department of Health on the Omicron variant. Early data seems to suggest it is a milder version of the virus, but spreads at more than 3-times the rate of the Delta variant. As we wait for more data to give us more information, how should the public react? State lawmakers are getting set to take on crime during the 2022 Legislative session. But will tightening laws and lengthening sentences work as an effective deterrent? Our panelists share their opinions on this one as well, and give other ideas that could help bolster our state’s criminal justice system in the long term. The State Ethics Commission is calling for stricter disclosure rules when it comes to state lawmakers’ income and business interests. We detail the proposed changes and ask our panelists: is this a reasonable burden for unpaid, part-time legislators? Is it time to reconsider our state’s citizen-legislature, or is there no hope keeping special interests out of the roundhouse? Line Opinion Panelists: Serge Martinez, UNM Law School Inez Russell Gomez, editorial page editor, Santa Fe New Mexican Rebeca Latham, CEO, Girl Scouts of New Mexico For More Information: Amid Omicron, NM Urges Exposure Notifications – Albuquerque Journal New Mexico Department of Health COVID-19 Dashboard – NMDOH Website Vaccine Appointments – VaccineNM.org New Mexico Department of Health Briefings - Facebook NM Legislature Gearing Up to Crack Down on Crime – Santa Fe New Mexican Albuquerque Shatters Homicide Record by 46% - Associated Press Editorial: ABQ Has to Handle Crime in New Year – Albuquerque Journal When you add more police to a city, what happens? - NPR: Planet Money Ethics Agency Calls for Firmer Disclosure Laws – Albuquerque Journal Financial Disclosure Rules – NM Secretary of State ****** The segment on disclosure rules is part of our #YourNMGov project, in collaboration with KUNM radio. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.