Senate memorial would convene statewide youth violence summit; advocates and experts back plan

Senate Memorial 20, sponsored by Senator Lopez, asks state agencies and stakeholders to convene a statewide youth‑violence summit to develop a cohesive plan for prevention and intervention.

Nina Solomon, a managing director at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, told the Rules Committee the organization conducted listening sessions and policy reviews and concluded New Mexico lacks a unified statewide infrastructure for youth violence prevention and limited data collection on youth gun offenses. “One of the consensus recommendations that emerged is to convene a statewide youth violence summit,” Solomon said, describing the memorial as a vehicle to gather policymakers, law enforcement, community organizations, researchers and youth with lived experience to identify and scale evidence‑based approaches.

Advocates from the ACLU of New Mexico and community providers testified in support. Denali Wilson, an ACLU registered lobbyist, said the memorial centers data collection and community engagement and urged the committee to support interventions such as credible messengers, peer supports and restorative practices. Logan Howard of Families and Youth Innovations emphasized the importance of including young people with lived experience in planning. Laura Lynn Vialanta of New Mexico CAN urged the Department of Health to authentically engage youth in both planning and implementation.

Committee members asked about agency participation and logistics. Sponsors said the Department of Health and other agencies listed in the memorial have been consulted and that planners are considering a fall summit with hybrid participation options to make attendance feasible for youth. The memorial, if passed, would form a planning group with representatives from state agencies and other stakeholders to develop recommendations and next steps.

What’s next: The committee received support from multiple advocates and indicated willingness to move forward with planning if the memorial passes through the legislative process.