On Friday, Grisham presented a sweeping anti-gun package to the state legislature. It includes allowing New Mexico citizens to sue gun manufacturers, a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” a mandatory two-week wait to purchase a firearm and more.
The governor also reapproached the 2023 executive order prohibiting concealed carry in playgrounds, parks and many other public properties. Her Sept. 8 “public health” proclamation created a firestorm of controversy and resulted in quite a public humiliation.
Grisham whittled her original order down to a shell of its original form, and even that faces ongoing court challenges. The New Mexico Supreme Court is also examining whether she reached beyond her grasp with the declaration.
Undeterred, Grisham is back for more with a round of legislative proposals that are sure to stir the pot even more.
She declared, “The constitutionality questions are beginning to be very complicated in the arena of gun violence. We are going to continue this effort, following what is going on around the country…There will be others who follow in our footsteps, creating their own public safety corridors, which in effect also make New Mexicans safer.”
There is a new push to establish a 14-day waiting period as potential firearm purchasers undergo a mandatory background check. The proposal would also set 21 as the minimum age to obtain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.
Grisham called her agenda “the largest and most comprehensive public safety package in our state’s history.” She said that “gun violence is a significant contributor to the cycles of crime in our communities and [we] will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end this epidemic.”
Again, addressing criminal behavior as a “health” issue.
Surprisingly, Grisham claimed the state will increase penalties for convictions for violent criminal acts and work to keep those accused of violent crimes incarcerated while they await trial.
Apparently, a dash of common sense seeped into the mad dash to blame inanimate objects for human acts.
Part of her new round is the Firearm Industry Accountability Act. Sponsors claim it would result in gun manufacturers being held “liable” for deceptive practices. This is nothing new as the industry is not shielded from negligent acts.
Federal law does, however, protect weapons manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits that seek to cripple the industry under a deluge of court cases. It is highly likely that such actions are the true motivation behind this proposal.
The manufacture of so-called “assault weapons” would be banned, along with their possession and the transfer of such firearms. It is unclear whether current owners of the popular sporting rifles would be grandfathered in or if state leadership intends to confiscate these weapons.
That would lead to an entirely new set of problems.
The current minimum age of 18 set to purchase semi-automatic weapons would be raised to 21 under the package of proposals.
From the time a federal background check is initiated there would be a mandatory 14-day waiting period before the purchaser would be allowed to take possession of the weapon.
During an election, it would be illegal to possess a weapon within 100 feet of a polling place.
There is an expansion of existing “red flag” laws included in the package. The Extreme Risk Firearms Protection Order Act would now feature an expedited process with a judge on call 24/7 to issue such orders. Further, law enforcement officers and healthcare personnel would be permitted to report those they believe should be targeted by such orders.
And possession of weapons — even by lawful concealed carry permit holders — would be prohibited in county or municipal parks, playgrounds and their parking lots.
