SANTA FE, NM — The New Mexico Senate has passed Senate Bill 17, the Stop Illegal Gun Trade and Extremely Dangerous Weapons Act, by a 21–17 vote, setting the stage for a contentious battle in the House. Introduced by Senate Democrats and backed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the bill represents a broad effort to impose new regulations on firearm dealers and prohibit the sale of a defined set of firearms and components deemed “extremely dangerous.”
The bill, a declared top priority of the governor during her final year in office, seeks to impose new dealer mandates and prohibit the commercial sale of certain firearms and accessories, including:
- Detachable magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds
- .50 caliber rifles and cartridges
- Gas-operated semiautomatic firearms that accept detachable magazines or have fixed magazines exceeding ten rounds
- Machine guns (defined as fully automatic firearms or semiautomatic firearms modified to approximate the rate of fire of a machine gun)
Dealer Mandates
SB 17 would also create an expansive regulatory structure for federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) in the state. Provisions include:
- Mandatory security systems, alarm and surveillance equipment, and site hardening
- Age minimums, criminal background checks, and mandatory training for employees
- Ongoing recordkeeping, including monthly inventory audits and trace request tracking
- Quarterly and annual reporting to the Department of Public Safety
- Inspections at least every three years
- Posting of legal and safety notices at all retail counters and gun show entrances
Violations of the prohibited firearm sales outlined in Section 7 of the bill are punishable as misdemeanors, while failure to comply with dealer regulations can lead to civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.
Democrat and Governor Support
Supporters of the bill, including Gov. Lujan Grisham, frame SB 17 as a response to New Mexico’s high rate of gun-related crime. In a statement, the governor said:
“This bill holds gun dealers to the same basic standards expected of any responsible business—securing inventory, training employees, and preventing illegal sales. This is common-sense legislation that will save lives.”
She added that the legislation is part of a larger public safety package, citing state data showing New Mexico has the fifth-highest rate of gun homicides in the U.S. and that 77% of crime guns traced in-state originated from New Mexico.
House Republican Response
House Republicans sharply criticized the legislation as unconstitutional, economically damaging, and ineffective in addressing actual crime.
“Senate Bill 17 is an attack on the Second Amendment and on the law-abiding New Mexicans who follow the rules,” said House Republican Leader Gail Armstrong. “This bill punishes responsible citizens and small business owners while doing nothing to stop criminals who ignore the law.”
Republicans argue that the bill would place burdensome costs on small FFLs, potentially driving family-owned businesses into closure.
“SB 17 puts local gun dealers in the crosshairs,” said House Republican Whip Alan Martinez, “Democrats are willing to sacrifice them to push a political agenda.”
They also raised constitutional concerns, accusing the bill of creating a de facto state registry and inviting lengthy legal battles at taxpayer expense.
“This legislation ignores clear constitutional precedent and puts New Mexico on a dangerous legal path,” Armstrong warned.
House Republican Caucus Chair Rebecca Dow pledged opposition at every legislative stage:
“We will fight this bill in committee, on the House floor, and in the public square. New Mexicans deserve real public safety solutions that target violent criminals, not laws that strip away freedoms.”
What’s Next
With a 44–26 Democrat majority in the New Mexico House, SB 17 is expected to advance, though not without significant debate. If approved, it would move to the desk of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has publicly urged lawmakers to pass the bill as part of her broader public safety agenda.
Opposition is mounting as the bill heads to the House. The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has strongly condemned SB 17, calling it an “omnibus gun control package” that would “severely undermine the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding New Mexicans and threaten the viability of local firearm retailers.” The NRA warns that the bill’s language would prohibit a wide array of commonly owned gas-operated firearms, including many semiautomatic rifles used for self-defense and sporting purposes, and impose burdensome mandates on licensed dealers.
In addition to calling the compliance rules excessive and the recordkeeping requirements a threat to gun owner privacy, the NRA has also raised concern over what it calls unrealistic 24-hour law enforcement trace response deadlines and the potential for felony-level penalties for minor compliance errors.
As the House prepares to take up SB 17, the NRA is urging citizens to take action. Concerned residents can visit NRAILA.org and use the “Take Action” feature to contact their state lawmakers directly. With a final vote approaching, public opposition could play a significant role in determining the bill’s fate.
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