News From Zac Fort of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association

Yesterday in Ruidoso, the Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee held a meeting to discuss several gun control proposals that failed in the 2023 New Mexico Legislative Session. No public comment was allowed, and as it is an interim committee, no votes were taken. No new bill language was introduced, they just discussed past versions of the failed proposals. The proposals discussed were raising the age to purchase a firearm in New Mexico to 21, banning the sale of semi-automatic rifles, waiting periods on gun sales, and trying to make it easier to sue firearm retailers and manufacturers in New Mexico. All of these proposals failed in 2023, but based on the discussion yesterday, there is a strong likelihood that all of them will be heard in the 2024 New Mexico Legislative Session. The 2024 Legislative Session is a 30-day budget session, but the governor has made it clear that she will add gun control bills to "the call" so they can be heard in the shorter session. We will continue to watch interim legislative activity as we prepare for 2024.