The New Mexico legislature is considering two significant bills that pose substantial threats to our Second Amendment rights: Senate Bill 279 and Senate Bill 318, which are expected to be heard before the Senate Judiciary committee in the coming days. It's critical that you get involved today by clicking the TAKE ACTION button to contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge their opposition to SB 279 & SB 318 today!
Senate Bill 279, known as the Gas-Operated Semiauto Firearms Exclusion Act, seeks to regulate and potentially prohibit the possession of a wide range of semiautomatic firearms commonly used by law-abiding citizens for recreation, hunting, self-defense, and competitive shooting. If passed, the bill mandates the Attorney General, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, to compile a list of prohibited firearms by July 1, 2025. Starting January 1, 2026, possession of these firearms would be prohibited, with limited exceptions. This legislation threatens to criminalize responsible gun owners and undermine constitutional rights.
Senate Bill 318 expands the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act to include firearms, parts, and accessories, imposing severe penalties of $250,000 per violation and holding manufacturers, distributors, and online platforms jointly liable for actions by third parties. It allows private lawsuits without proof of harm, subjects out-of-state and online sellers to New Mexico laws, and grants sweeping authority to the Attorney General to pursue civil penalties. This overreach increases compliance costs, threatens lawful businesses with excessive litigation, and raises serious constitutional and interstate commerce concerns, all while doing little to address criminal misuse of firearms.
Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for updates.