New Mexico’s Latest Gun Laws to Ensure Public Safety: What Gun Owners Need to Know — NewsBreak
New Mexico’s Achievements in Gun Safety May Serve as a Guide for Responsible Gun Owners in Other States
In New Mexico, gun laws presently in place are under scrutiny. Although citizens can carry firearms without permits, the state maintains specific rules. For instance, anyone convicted of a crime is prohibited from owning a gun. Background checks, waiting periods, and limitations on ammunition capacity are nonexistent. Meanwhile, debates rage on whether stricter laws must be implemented to improve public safety.
To promote responsible gun ownership and maintain public safety, New Mexico has implemented a few gun laws in recent years, with some changes set to occur in 2023. Enacted in 2019, one of these laws stipulates that every gun sale, private or not, must include background checks. As of January 2023, licensed firearms dealers must initiate background checks for all gun sales to comply with federal law. In addition, New Mexico mandates that point-of-sale background checks are done for handgun purchases or obtaining a permit to purchase. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for processing and issuing concealed handgun carry licenses and renewals. These regulations are designed to ensure public safety and responsible gun ownership.
The new law in New Mexico as of 2023 makes storing firearms where children can access them a crime to decrease the likelihood of unintentional shootings. Semi-automatic firearms with particular characteristics are restricted under the state’s assault weapon regulations. Despite that, some types of assault weapons obtained lawfully before the prohibition are still allowed. The state hopes to maintain public safety and limit the number of mass shootings by imposing these limitations.
Individuals in New Mexico can carry a hidden handgun with a license, thanks to the state’s strong concealed carry statute. Furthermore, in certain situations, the state has open carry rules that allow individuals to openly carry a firearm without obtaining a license; these rules may differ depending on the city or county. New Mexico has also dedicated resources to support community violence intervention programs, which aim to reduce gun violence by tackling the underlying causes of violence and assisting at-risk individuals. New Mexico, in general, seeks to maintain a balance between the rights of individuals and the safety of the public with its firearm regulations.
In 2023, New Mexico implemented some changes to its gun laws. These updates incorporated various modifications and alterations. The new regulations broadened the range in which firearms could be carried and used while introducing stricter background checks on individuals who purchase guns. New legal procedures were set up to provide a more transparent process for revoking firearms licenses for those deemed a threat to society. Additionally, steeper penalties were introduced for those caught carrying concealed weapons unlawfully. The various measures altering gun laws in New Mexico aimed at improving public safety while respecting gun owners’ rights.
Amidst all the commotion, New Mexico took a bold step towards advocating responsible gun ownership in 2021, passing legislation requiring background checks for practically all firearm sales and imposing stringent restrictions on those with domestic violence convictions. Gun-owning citizens had a mixed reaction to these laws; however, things turned in 2023 when Governor Lujan Grisham stood behind the rules, affirming that they have made responsible gun ownership the norm in the Land of Enchantment.
In 2023, New Mexico stopped high-capacity magazines and assault weapons by implementing bans. This move was in response to the alarming gun violence rate in the state, where they ranked third in gun deaths compared to other states. The decision was reflected in House Bill 101, which outlawed the manufacturing, transfer, possession, and sale of these deadly weapons. Moreover, Senate Bill 116 further prohibited anyone under 21 from holding automatic or semi-automatic firearms. Its mission was to keep these weapons from flowing into other states, which New Mexico had ranked high in supplying such crime guns.
In 2023, New Mexico jumped on the bandwagon and instituted a red flag law. This law permits the court to temporarily confiscate firearms from those considered dangerous to themselves or others. Preventing gun violence is the primary focus of Michigan’s brand-new red flag law as well. The efficacy of these laws in de-escalating emergencies and preventing gun violence has been demonstrated.
Citation
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- S.25 — Assault Weapons Ban of 2023 118th …. (n.d.) Retrieved June 2, 2023, from www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/25/text
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Originally published at https://www.newsbreak.com.
