33-9-8. Local selection panel.
A county, municipality or private nonprofit organization, individually or jointly, may establish a local panel to exercise the duties and responsibilities of the state panel pursuant to the provisions of Section 33-9-7 NMSA 1978, and, using the same criteria as the state panel, the local panel may screen and identify criminal offenders. In no event shall the sentencing judge order to be placed into a program any criminal offender whom the local selection panel has not approved. The composition of a local panel shall include, to the maximum extent possible, representatives of the judiciary, the office of the district attorney, the office of the public defender, the adult probation and parole division of the department, the county sheriff or the municipal police department, individuals representing local programs and private citizens.