Common-sense gun laws save lives

New Mexicans deserve to be safer from gun violence! Did you know that every year, by the first week of February our country surpasses the number of gun deaths experienced in the entire year in our peer countries? More than half of those deaths are suicides. Do you realize that more than 43,000 Americans are killed with guns every year, approximately 76,000 more are shot and wounded, and countless others experience the collective trauma of gun violence? Sadly, 59 percent of adults in America, or someone they care about, has experienced gun violence in their lifetime.

Did you know that common sense gun laws can bring those numbers down dramatically? There are many bills related to firearms in the current session, at least three of which have real capacity to slow the growing rate of gun violence in our communities.

First, the “Raise the Age” bill (HB 127), which prohibits those under 21 from buying or possessing automatic or semiautomatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. That’s reasonable, right? Currently handguns already are prohibited from possession by those under 21, so why in the world would we allow them to have even deadlier weapons? Yes, if they are in the armed forces, people under 21 are trained to use these weapons, but, they are not allowed to carry them freely.

Second, the “Extended Waiting Period” bill (HB 129 as amended), which requires a 7 day waiting period for gun purchases, up from just 3 days! This bill will surely give a cooling off period for those who may be intent on using a gun, in a hurry, to kill themselves or someone else who has enraged them. Again, this bill will not harm people who are thinking about buying a gun, as most who are thinking about it have time to wait a few extra days. However, it will give a little extra “thinking” time for those who are despondent about a life situation. Again, the majority of gun deaths are suicides.

Third, the “Go SAFE” bill (HB 137 as amended), which bans assault weapons and high capacity magazines. These weapons are designed expressly for war situations, for killing a maximum amount of humans in a minimal amount of time. Now, these large killing events are few, statistically, but utterly devastating to the communities that experience them. These sorts of weapons do not belong on our streets!

All three of these bills have proven to be effective in other states, and have NOT been a real detriment to the right to bear arms. They have stood the test of state supreme courts in other states.

Please contact your legislators and insist they support these and other common-sense gun safety bills!

Alexis Jimenez

Local Group Lead RR/

Sandoval County

Moms Demand Action New Mexico