Sponsors of Senate Bill 268, which would outlaw coyote-killing contests in New Mexico, present the legislation Saturday to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Saturday. The committee voted to send the bill to the full Senate for a vote. Supporters of the bill say the contests are barbaric, while opponents argue the competitions are a way to reduce coyote killings of livestock. Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, a co-sponsor of the bill, said during the hearing that there are about 30 commercial contests a year in the state. Similar legislation was approved in the Senate in 2015, but died in the House of Representatives.
