NRA Take on NM Gun Bills

Here is the latest from the NRA-ILA as forwarded to me by an NRA member. Please consider contacting your representatives.

Note that I often disagree with the NRA but some of the criticisms of these bills mirror my own, i.e., too broad and the inconvenience on gun owners is not balanced by quantitative results based on funded research.

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House Bill 8: "Universal" Background Checks - Sponsored by Representative Debra Sarinana, would ban all private firearms sales between law-abiding individuals. Gun owners would be forced to pay undetermined fees and obtain government approval before selling firearms to family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers, or fellow hunters, competitive shooters and gun club members. This proposal will have no impact on crime and is unenforceable without gun registration.

House Bill 40: Background Checks at Gun Shows: Sponsored by Representative Miguel Garcia, would require criminal records checks on private firearms sales at gun shows - a perennial target of the gun control crowd, even though studies show that these events are not a source of crime guns.

House Bill 83: Extreme risk protection order or "red flag" legislation sponsored by Representative Daymon Ely, would authorize the seizure of firearms and ammunition from individuals without due process. Unchallenged statements made by a petitioner before a judge, alleging that someone is a danger to themselves or others in an ex parte proceeding -- prior to any formal court hearing at which the respondent can be represented by counsel and present counter evidence -- would be sufficient for law enforcement to enter that person's home and confiscate their private property.

House Bill 87: Domestic Violence & Firearm - by Representative Deborah Armstrong expands the state's "prohibited person" firearm law by purportedly incorporating federal firearm disqualifications. The bill would prohibit individuals convicted of certain domestic violence misdemeanor crimes or who are subject to a domestic violence protective order from purchasing or possessing a firearm, with violations being a criminal offense. However, the bill goes far beyond the categories currently included in federal law, in addition to requiring firearm seizure.  

We would like to thank Representative Gregg Schmedes (R-Tijeras) and Representative Candy Ezzell (R-Roswell) for voting against these bills.

Additionally, The Senate Public Affairs Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 8, so called "universal" background checks Sponsored by Senator Richard Martinez (D) and Peter Wirth (D) on a vote of 4-3. Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D), Liz Stefanics (D), Antoinette Lopez (D), and Jeff Steinborn (D) all voted for the bill.

We want to thank Senators Candace Gould (R), Craig Brandt (R), and Stuart Ingle (R) for voting against this bill.

NEXT STEPS: The next stop for the House bills that passed is the House Judiciary Committee. The next stop for Senate Bill 8 is the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Please contact House and Senate Judiciary Committee Members and ask them to oppose these bills.

House Judiciary Members: Gail Chasey (D-Albuquerque), Daymon Ely (D-Corrales), Eliseo Alcon (D-Milan), Deborah Armstrong (D-Albuquerque), Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla), Christine Chandler (D-Loas Alamos), Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe), Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), Georgene Louis (D-Albuquerque), Matthew McQueen (D-Gallisteo), Zachary Cook (R-Ruidoso), Greg Nibert (R-Roswell), Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque) and James Townsend (R-Artesia).

Senate Judiciary Members: Richard Martinez (D), Daniel Ivey-Soto (D), Linda Lopez (D), Mark Moores (R), William Payne (R), Bill O'Neill (D), Gregory Baca (R), Mimi Stewart (D), Joseph Cervantes (D), Ron Griggs (R), Peter Wirth (D).