New Mexico § 66-12-23 - Penalties

§ 66-12-23. Penalties

A. Except for penalty provisions provided in Subsections B through M of this section,

a person who violates a provision of the Boat Act or a rule of the division promulgated

pursuant to that act is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and shall be sentenced pursuant

to the provisions of Section 31-19-1 NMSA 1978 . B. As used in Chapter 66, Article 12 NMSA 1978 , “ penalty assessment misdemeanor ” means a violation of Section 66-12-6.5 , 66-12-7 , 66-12-7.1 , 66-12-10 or 66-12-14 NMSA 1978 or a rule of the division promulgated pursuant to those sections. C. The term “penalty assessment misdemeanor” does not include a violation that has

caused or contributed to the cause of an accident resulting in injury or death to

a person or disappearance of a person. D. Whenever a person is arrested for violation of a penalty assessment misdemeanor,

the arresting officer shall advise the person of the option either to accept the penalty

assessment and pay it to the court or to appear in court. The arresting officer, using a uniform non-traffic citation, shall complete the

information section, prepare the penalty assessment and prepare a notice to appear

in court specifying the time and place to appear. The arresting officer shall have the person sign the citation as a promise either

to pay the penalty assessment as prescribed or to appear in court as specified, give

a copy of the citation to the person and release the person from custody. An officer shall not accept custody of payment of any penalty assessment. E. The arresting officer may issue a warning notice, but shall fill in the information

section of the citation and give a copy to the arrested person after requiring a signature

on the warning notice as an acknowledgment of receipt. No warning notice issued under this section shall be used as evidence of conviction

for purposes of Subsection M of this section. F. In order to secure release, the arrested person must give a written promise to

appear in court or to pay the penalty assessment prescribed or to acknowledge receipt

of a warning notice. G. The magistrate court or metropolitan court in the county where the alleged violation

occurred has jurisdiction for any case arising from a penalty assessment misdemeanor. H. A penalty assessment citation issued by a law enforcement officer shall be submitted

to the appropriate magistrate or metropolitan court within three business days of

issuance. If the citation is not submitted within three business days, it may be dismissed

with prejudice. I. It is a misdemeanor for any person to violate a written promise to pay the penalty

assessment or to appear in court given to an officer upon issuance of a citation regardless

of the disposition of the charge for which the citation was issued. J. A citation with a written promise to appear in court or to pay the penalty assessment

is a summons. If a person fails to appear or to pay the penalty assessment by the appearance date,

a warrant for failure to appear may be issued. K. A written promise to appear in court may be complied with by appearance of counsel. L. When an alleged violator of a penalty assessment misdemeanor elects to appear in

court rather than to pay the penalty assessment to the court, no fine imposed upon

later conviction shall exceed the penalty assessment established for the particular

penalty assessment misdemeanor. M. The penalty assessment for a first penalty assessment misdemeanor is thirty dollars

($30.00). This penalty assessment is in addition to any magistrate or metropolitan court costs

as provided in Subsection B of Section 35-6-4 NMSA 1978 . Upon a second conviction or acceptance of a notice of penalty assessment for a penalty

assessment misdemeanor, the penalty assessment shall be fifty dollars ($50.00). Upon a third or subsequent conviction or acceptance of a notice of penalty assessment,

the penalty assessment shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150).