Lawsuit challenges NM’s new gun laws

A conservative coalition filed a lawsuit this week challenging the constitutionality of New Mexico’s new gun laws requiring background checks before the sale of firearms and prohibiting the possession of guns by domestic abusers. The New Mexico Patriots Advocacy Coalition also accused state officials of illegally blocking their right to petition for the repeal of 10 bills passed in this year’s legislative session, when Democrats held substantial majorities in both chambers. The six-page lawsuit was filed Thursday in Curry County by Albuquerque attorney Blair Dunn, the Libertarian candidate for attorney general last year, on behalf of the coalition. It first asks a judge to authorize the circulation of petitions that would allow opponents of 10 new laws — including the gun legislation — the opportunity to gather enough signatures to force an election on them. In the alternative, the lawsuits asks a judge to declare the two gun bills unconstitutional. The suit says the approval of the background checks legislation, Senate Bill 8, violates the right of New Mexicans to keep and bear arms because it interferes with private transactions by mandating a federal background check before most gun sales. Another piece of legislation, Senate Bill 328, violates people’s rights to due process by requiring them to surrender firearms even if they haven’t been convicted of a crime, the lawsuit says...MORE