Concealed Carry Reform Bills Continue To Move
Last week, state Representative Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) introduced House Resolution 4 to amend House rules and ban the possession of firearms in the House chamber, galleries, lounge, hallways and committee rooms by anyone except law enforcement or concealed carry license holders. In 2014, he filed a similar measure which passed out of the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote and then died in the House Rules Committee. This solution in search of a problem is back and has been referred to the House Rules Committee. Please contact House Rules Committee members and urge them to OPPOSE HR 4. Their contact information can be found here:
Earlier in session, state Senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) filed Senate Resolution 1 to amend Senate rules and ban the possession of firearms, except by law enforcement, in the Senate chamber, galleries, lounge, hallways and committee rooms. SR 1 was referred to the Senate Rules and Senate Judiciary Committees but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing in the first committee. Please contact Senate Rules Committee members and urge them to OPPOSE SR 1. Their contact information can be found here:
On the proactive front, several NRA-backed measures which eliminate the mid-term, two-hour refresher course for concealed handgun licensees and make other key reforms to the state’s carry laws have been reported out of their first committee and await consideration by a second. New Mexico is the only state in the country that imposes such an unnecessary and burdensome training requirement on its license holders.
Senate Bill 118, sponsored by state Senator Steve Neville (R-Aztec), and Senate Bill 268, sponsored by state Senator Craig Brandt (R-Rio Rancho), await action by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both bills eliminate the mid-term, two-hour refresher course for concealed handgun licensees and the fingerprint requirement on renewal license applications. (SB 268 also removes the category- and caliber-specific restrictions for training and licensure and exempts active or honorably discharged military service personnel from application fees and firearm qualification requirements.) Please call and email Senate Judiciary Committee members and urge them to SUPPORT SB 118 as well as SB 268. Contact information can be found here:
House Bill 106, sponsored by state Representative Paul Bandy (R-Aztec), and House Bill 189, sponsored by state Representative Randy Crowder (R-Clovis), await action by the House Judiciary Committee. HB 106 eliminates the mid-term, two-hour refresher course for concealed handgun licensees and the fingerprint requirement on renewal license applications; HB 189 also eliminates the two-hour refresher course and extends the term of a license from four to five years. Please contact House Judiciary Committee members and urge them to SUPPORT HB 106 & HB 189. Contact information can be found here:
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