LAS CRUCES, N.M. (
KFOX14) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is working to introduce a new proposal in the Legislature regarding the protection of the public from gun owners who pose a risk to society.
The measure would allow household members and law enforcement agencies to temporarily take away guns from people who can pose as a threat to themselves or others.
Those individuals would ask a court for an order, and the court would be required to hold a hearing within 15 days. Then the weapons and ammunition would be given back to the owner when the order expires. The proposal would be for extreme risk protection orders.
Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia have similar laws, which can also be called red flag laws. Some of these were put into place after large tragedies, like the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, where sources told law enforcement agencies the gunman had shown violent behaviors prior.
Lujan Grisham believes enacting this power will create a safer environment for New Mexico and reduce the number of instances of gun-related deaths.
“Having that information without red flag laws provided no opportunity to provide a warrant, so law enforcement couldn't do anything about it until some threatening action is taken, and by then, it's too late. Nothing can be done,” Lujan Grisham said.
A local Las Cruces gun shop says this can sometimes be unfair to gun owners.
“The judges are more or less just rubber stamping the request because they’re all concerned that if they deny the request and later there was an act of violence and they will be held responsible for it,” Emerson Gates, a gunsmith with Custom Cartridge, said. “I can’t think of another right that we suspend based on an accusation and you have no chance to face your accuser before you have to pay the penalty for it. I understand the need and I understand the desire to deal with the awful situation, but it needs to be done in a constitutional manner.”
3 comments:
If New Mexico gets away with this what other item of the bill of rights or the constitution will come next?
The claim of having power over the welfare of all the people to "protect them" is not in the Constitutions, it is a usurpation of power, it is socialist and anti-american garbage and a violation of oath of office, perjury, unfit to his duty of office, a crime.
Communism here we come fast and furious. This governor is NOT FOR THE PEOPLE. she is a leftist communist witch hunter. I will never vote Democrat as long as I live nor will my children. She is a sorry hateful excuse.
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