New Mexico lawmakers are pushing forward a sweeping gun control bill that would ban popular semiautomatic firearms and require registration for existing owners. Critics argue the bill is an unconstitutional attempt to disarm law-abiding citizens.
Key Facts:
- Bill Name: Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act (SB 279).
- Restrictions: Bans the import, sale, and possession of semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines.
- Registration Requirement: Current owners must certify their firearms with local dealers.
- Democratic Support: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham claims it is a necessary safety measure.
- Republican Opposition: Critics argue it criminalizes lawful gun owners and violates the Second Amendment.
The Rest of The Story:
SB 279 specifically targets gas-operated semiautomatic firearms, a category that includes the AR-15 and similar rifles.
While proponents say the bill is aimed at reducing gun violence, Republicans argue it is intentionally vague and gives too much power to unelected officials to determine which firearms will be banned.
Gov. Lujan Grisham insists the law is constitutional and will survive legal challenges, citing similar laws upheld in other states.
However, Republicans and gun rights groups, including the National Association for Gun Rights, are mobilizing against the bill, with thousands signing petitions in opposition.
New Mexico Update:
Tens of thousands of your petitons have been dropped off at the Capitol building DEMANDING that Senate Bill 279, the "Assault Weapons ban" bill, be thrown out! https://t.co/EtKLT9YhDq pic.twitter.com/uHJhV6ygFy
— National Association for Gun Rights (@NatlGunRights) March 8, 2025
State Rep. John Block and other lawmakers see the bill as part of a broader liberal agenda to erode constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong criticized Democrats for prioritizing gun bans over addressing crime, healthcare shortages, and the state’s economic struggles.
Commentary:
This bill isn’t about public safety—it’s about control.
Democrats in New Mexico are pushing a law that punishes law-abiding citizens while ignoring the real problem: criminals who don’t follow gun laws.
Instead of cracking down on violent offenders, they’re making it harder for responsible citizens to defend themselves.
The bill’s registration requirement is just a step toward a broader gun registry, a tool historically used by governments to track and eventually confiscate firearms.
Lawmakers claim it’s not a “gun registry,” but forcing citizens to certify their firearms with local dealers is just semantics.
Even if this law is passed, it won’t stand for long.
Courts have struck down similar bans in the past, and SB 279 is likely to face the same fate.
The Supreme Court has already affirmed that commonly owned firearms, like AR-15s, are protected under the Second Amendment.
The real concern is what happens in the meantime.
While legal battles play out, this bill will be the law of the land in New Mexico, potentially turning thousands of law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight.
That’s the goal—intimidate, regulate, and suppress lawful gun ownership.
The Bottom Line:
New Mexico’s proposed gun control law is another example of politicians using public safety as an excuse to infringe on constitutional rights.
While it may pass, it won’t survive legal challenges.
However, the damage will be done, and honest citizens will pay the price until the courts intervene.
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