02/25/2025
Interesting changes to NM Concealed Carry Act. It made it out of committee today.
From NMSSA:
The halfway point of the 2025 New Mexico Legislative Session has now passed, along with the filing deadline for bills. While there was no movement on the key bills we are watching in Santa Fe, on the last day to file bills, Senator Joesph Cervantes of Las Cruces introduced SB507, a significant rewrite of New Mexico's Concealed Handgun Carry Act.
Here is a quick summary of how the bill would change concealed carry law.
The bill lowers the age to receive a permit to 19 from 21.
Allows lawful permanent residents to receive a permit.
Removes the category (revolver or semiautomatic) and caliber qualification aspect of a license.
Removes the 2-year refresher requirement.
Decreases the training course time requirement to 6 hours from 15 hours.
Changes New Mexico reciprocity provisions with other states.
Increases penalties for carrying a loaded concealed firearm without a license.
There are other smaller changes proposed as well. The bill has some changes that we have supported in the past, but there are aspects we are concerned about, particularly around reciprocity. The bill was scheduled last minute for an early morning hearing in the Senate Rules Committee where it passed on a bipartisan vote of 7-2 with Senators Block and Stewart voting against it. The next stop for the bill is the Senate Judiciary Committee, where the bill's sponsor is the chair.
RELATING TO FI****MS; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE CONCEALED HANDGUN CARRY ACT; PROVIDING TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR A CONCEALED HANDGUN CARRY LICENSE; PROVIDING A PROCESS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL AND TRANSFER OF A LICENSE FROM ANOTHER STATE; ENHANCING A PENALTY.