As New Mexico Lawmakers Adjourn for the Legislative Session, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Celebrate Life-Saving Wins 

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Sent Over 2,800 Advocating for Life-Saving Legislation this Session 

New Mexico is Poised to Become the 12th State to Implement Waiting Periods for Firearm Purchases

SANTA FE, N.M — The New Mexico chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements after lawmakers adjourned for the legislative session. Throughout the 30-day budget session, various gun safety measures saw progress, including a measure to prohibit assault weapons. Now, two life-saving bills head to Governor Lujan Grisham’s desk. 

“Ahead of the session we stood alongside Governor Lujan Grisham as she outlayed an ambitious gun safety agenda, and now can confidently say we made life-saving progress and New Mexico families will be safer for it,” said Kathleen Moseley, a volunteer with the New Mexico chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These measures will not only address critical flaws in our gun safety laws, but will save lives by creating a waiting period for gun purchases and protecting our democratic right of voting. We look forward to continuing working with Governor Lujan Grisham and our lawmakers to make New Mexico a leader in the fight against gun violence.” 

“This is exactly the type of leadership students deserve from our lawmakers when it comes to addressing America’s gun violence crisis,” said Ivan Torres, a volunteer leader with the St. Johns College Students Demand Action chapter. “We hit the ground running on the first day of session to pass live-saving gun laws and now, that work is paying off. We can’t thank Governor Lujan Grisham and our gun-sense champions in the statehouse enough for continuing to prioritize the safety of New Mexico students.” 

A snapshot on the measures on the Governor’s desk: 

• HB 129: This legislation strengthens the state’s gun safety laws by creating a 7-day waiting period on all firearm purchases to ensure firearms aren’t being transferred during a moment of an acute mental health crisis that could result in the person harming themselves or others. The measure will also address the Charleston Loophole, addressing the ​​gap in the background check system for firearms purchases 
• SB 5: Ahead of this year’s presidential election, this legislation prohibits the open carrying of firearms in polling places and around mail-in ballot containers while an election or voting is taking place. 

In addition to the gun safety bills on the governor’s desk, New Mexico’s legislature advanced various life-saving measures. The bills considered included first-in-the-nation legislation, modeled after Senator Heinrich’s federal bill, that would prohibit the sale, transfer, and receipt of gas-operated semi automatic firearms and large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The measure was passed in two committees and was sent to the House floor for consideration. Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers will continue advocating for the measure ahead of the next legislative session. 

In an average year, 492 people die by guns. With a rate of 23.4 deaths per 100,000 people, New Mexico has the 6th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. The rate of gun deaths has increased 80% from 2012 to 2021 in New Mexico, compared to a 39% increase nationwide.  More information about gun violence in New Mexico is available here.