Urge New Mexico Lawmakers To Oppose HB 402 – Assault Weapon & High Cap Mag Ban

Alamogordo Second Amendment Task Force
Alamogordo Second Amendment Task Force

Alamogordo, NM –-(Ammoland.com)-   Just last month, the New York Legislature enacted an all-out assault on law-abiding gun owners and New Mexico could be poised to follow their lead, unless your State Representatives & State Senators hear from you TODAY!

House Bill 402 by Rep. Stephen Easley (D-Eldorado) bans the future possession and transport of a so-called “assault weapon” or “large-capacity ammunition-feeding devices.”

All such property owned in New Mexico prior to July 1, 2013 would be grandfathered in, but the burden of proving ownership prior to that date is placed on the owner. How, or even if, this could be accomplished for magazines without a marked date or serial number is unclear.

Ownership of the affected firearms and magazines could not be transferred AT ALL. The only means of disposing of them would be through a gun buy-back or turn-in program to law enforcement — no inheritance, no allowing a friend or relative to take custody of the prohibited property, no selling or transferring the property out-of-state or even to a federally-licensed dealer. Grandfathered owners of the firearms described below would be required to store them in a locked gun safe at all times except when the guns are being transported or used. Transport would only be lawful if the firearm is unloaded, any detachable magazine is removed and the gun is equipped with a trigger-lock.

The definition of “assault weapon” in HB 402 is an unmitigated disaster. It doesn’t list specifically-banned models, but instead imposes a “one-feature test” for rifles, shotguns and pistols, as well as a catch-all for “a semi-automatic version of an automatic rifle, shotgun or firearm.” A banned feature for both semi-automatic rifles that can accept a detachable magazine and semi-automatic shotguns would be a “secondhand grip” OR a “protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand.” Of course, ALL rifles and shotguns feature some sort of secondary gripping surface, as by definition they are designed or made to be fired from the shoulder and gripped with two hands.

So the bill could essentially ban ALL semi-automatic rifles that can accept a detachable magazine and ALL semi-automatic shotguns, unless they fit into one of the very narrow exemptions in the bill.

HB 402 also bans ammunition feeding devices with a capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition or that contain more than 7 rounds of ammunition. This is just one example of how poorly-drafted this bill is in a rush to follow New York’s lead (where gun control advocates sought to reduce the existing 10 round limit.) Additionally, the language includes prohibitions on items specifically excluded in even the most far-reaching bans we’ve seen written to-date: full 10 round magazines routinely used for competition and feeding devices that are curios or relics!

This is one of the worst gun control bills filed in the entire country. It must be stopped, and that can only happen if you make your opposition clear to lawmakers before the measure gets any traction.

HB 402 has been referred to the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. At this time, it has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, but that could happen very soon. Please contact the members of the committees below, your own state lawmakers and Governor Susana Martinez and urge them to help defeat the worst gun bill we’ve seen yet in New Mexico.

Consumer & Public Affairs Committee

Rep. Eliseo Lee Alcon (D-Milan) – Chair
Phone: (505) 986-4844
Email: eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4243
Email: pat.roybalcaballero@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Thomas Anderson (R-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4451
Email: Thomas.Anderson@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Gail Chasey (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4412
Email: Gail@GailChasey.com

Rep. Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho)
Phone: (505) 986-4254
Email: JasonHarperNM@gmail.com

House Judiciary Committee

Rep. Gail Chasey (D-ABQ) – Chair
Phone: (505) 986-4412
Email: Gail@GailChasey.com

Rep. Georgene Louis (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4464
Email: georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Eliseo Lee Alcon (D-Milan)
Phone: (505) 986-4844
Email: eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Cathrynn N. Brown (R-Carlsbad)
Phone: (505) 986-4211
Email: cath@cathrynnbrown.com

Rep. Zach Cook (R-Ruidoso)
Phone: (505) 986-4452
Email: zachary.cook@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe)
Phone: (505) 986-4423
Email: brian.egolf@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Kelly K. Fajardo (R-Belen)
Phone: (505) 986-4220
Email: kelly.fajardo@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Miguel P. Garcia (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4327
Email: miguel.garcia@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Nate Gentry (R-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4757
Email: natefornm@gmail.com

Rep. Emily Kane (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4464
Email: emilykane4nm@gmail.com

Rep. “Moe” Maestas (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4774
Email: antonio.maestas@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Terry H. McMillan (R-Las Cruces)
Phone: (505) 986-4450
Email: docmcmillan@gmail.com

Rep. Paul A. Pacheco (R-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4214
Email: paul.pacheco@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Bill Rehm (R-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4214
Email: bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4243
Email: pat.roybalcaballero@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Mimi Stewart (D-ABQ)
Phone: (505) 986-4842
Email: mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov

Governor Susana Martinez
Phone: 505-476-2200
Email: www.governor.state.nm.us

About:
The Alamogordo Second Amendment Task Force is an association of private citizens engaging in the free exercise of their God-given, constitutionally protected right to be armed.Visit:www.alamogordo2atf.com