AMGOA Staff
Pennsylvania


Posts: 1,429

A conservative coalition filed a lawsuit this week challenging the constitutionality of two new gun laws in New Mexico, one requiring background checks, the other 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.

Blair Dunn, the Libertarian candidate for attorney general last year, filed the six-page lawsuit Thursday in Curry County 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 lawsuit asks a judge to declare the two gun bills unconstitutional.

The suit says the approval of the background check legislation, Senate Bill 8, violates the right of New Mexicans to keep and bear arms. The new law interferes with private transactions, according to the lawsuit, by mandating a federal background check before most gun sales.

Another piece of legislation, Senate Bill 328, violates people's right to due process by requiring them to surrender firearms even if they haven’t been convicted of a crime, the lawsuit says.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1345434/lawsuit-challenges-nms-new-gun-laws.html