NRA-ILA | New York-Style Gun & Magazine Ban Comes to New Mexico!

New York-Style Gun & Magazine Ban Comes to New Mexico!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

URGE YOUR STATE LAWMAKERS TO OPPOSE HB 402

Just last month, the New York Legislature enacted an all-out assault on law-abiding gun owners and New Mexico could be poised to follow their lead, unless state Representatives and Senators hear from you TODAY!

House Bill 402, introduced by state Representative Stephen Easley (D-Eldorado), bans the future possession and transport of a so-called "assault weapon" or "large-capacity ammunition-feeding devices." All such property owned in New Mexico prior to July 1, 2013 would be grandfathered, but the burden of proving ownership prior to that date is placed on the owner. Proving the date of purchase can be almost impossible and serial numbers do not exist on many magazines.

Ownership of the affected firearms and magazines could not be transferred AT ALL. The only means of disposing of them would be through a gun "buyback" or turn-in program to law enforcement -- no inheritance, no allowing a friend or relative to take custody of the prohibited property, no selling or transferring the property out-of-state or even to a federally-licensed dealer. Grandfathered owners of the firearms described below would be required to store them in a locked gun safe at all times except when the guns are being transported or used. Transport would only be lawful if the firearm is unloaded, any detachable magazine is removed and the gun is equipped with a triggerlock.

The definition of "assault weapon" in HB 402 is an unmitigated disaster. It doesn't list specifically-banned models and instead imposes a "one-feature test" for rifles, shotguns and pistols, as well as a catch-all for "a semi-automatic version of an automatic rifle, shotgun or firearm." A banned feature for both semi-automatic rifles that can accept a detachable magazine and semi-automatic shotguns would be a "secondhand grip" OR a "protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand." Of course, ALL rifles and shotguns feature some sort of secondary gripping surface, as by definition they are designed or made to be fired from the shoulder and gripped with two hands. So HB 402 could essentially ban ALL semi-automatic rifles that can accept a detachable magazine and ALL semi-automatic shotguns, unless they fit into one of the very narrow exemptions in this bill.

HB 402 also bans ammunition feeding devices with a capacity to accept more than ten rounds of ammunition or that contain more than seven rounds of ammunition. This is just one example of how poorly-drafted this bill is in a rush to follow New York’s lead (where gun control advocates sought to reduce the existing ten round state limit.) Additionally, HB 402 includes prohibitions on items specifically excluded in even the most far-reaching bans we've seen to-date: full ten-round magazines routinely used for competition and feeding devices that are curios or relics!

This is one of the worst gun control bills filed in the entire country. It must be stopped, and that can only happen if you make your opposition clear to state lawmakers before this measure gets any traction or momentum.

HB 402 has been referred to the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. At this time, it has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, but that could happen very soon. Please contact members of the House committees below, your own state lawmakers and Governor Susana Martinez, and urge them to help defeat the worst gun bill ever in New Mexico.

Governor Susana Martinez

Phone: 505-476-2200

Email: www.governor.state.nm.us/Contact_the_Governor.aspx

House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee

Representative Eliseo Lee Alcon (D-Cibola & McKinley- 6) – Chair

Phone: (505) 986-4844

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New York-Style Gun & Magazine Ban Comes to New Mexico!

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