ABQ councilors seek to ban guns on city properties

In what they say is an unprecedented challenge to state law, three Albuquerque city councilors are pushing to ban guns on city properties – including City Hall, parks, libraries – and any place the City Council, city commissions or elected officials are holding an open meeting. The legislation, filed Wednesday by Isaac Benton, Pat Davis and Diane Gibson, cites more than a dozen shootings that have occurred at government buildings and public meetings around the country in the past 22 years. The New Mexico Constitution prohibits municipalities from regulating citizens’ “right to keep and bear arms,” but the sponsors said they do not believe that should preclude communities from passing legislation they say would protect citizens. “Quite frankly, we’re tired of waiting on Santa Fe and Washington to step up and do something,” Davis said. “We’re living with our constituents every day who are worried about this.” Davis said no city in the state has challenged that constitutional provision since it was enacted more than 30 years ago, and he is ready for Albuquerque to set the case law...MORE