Alert on Gun Control Hearing in Santa Fe, Friday November 22, 2:30pm

HB 77 REDUX: GUN CONTROL CROWD AT IT AGAIN

IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!

Not satisfied to wait until the 2014 session of the New Mexico Legislature – which begins in just two months – Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee Members will be making a special trip to Santa Fe to present arguments for HB 77 to an interim legislative committee this coming week.

As you’ll recall, HB 77 was the gun control measure sponsored by State Rep. Miguel Garcia (D-ABQ) during the 2013 Legislature which died on the last day of session.  It began as a bill that would have criminalized ALL private firearms transfers – even between family and friends.  After significant amendments, it ultimately targeted those sales at gun shows and similar events.

The committee will also take public comment at the hearing, which is usually limited to just a few minutes per person.  And although they cannot advance any legislation at this time, they can vote to “endorse” the proposal for the 2014 session.  That’s why it’s critical that opponents of this measure turn out, pack the hearing room and voice their opposition to HB 77!  Hearing details are below:

Courts, Corrections & Justice Interim Committee Meeting

Friday, November 22

State Capitol – Room 322

2:30pm (public comment slated to begin at 3:30pm)

If you cannot attend the hearing, please take the time to share your concerns via email with the members of the interim committee.  A list of committee members can be found here (see attachment.)

Why should you be concerned about HB 77?

Because this is just the first step towards criminalizing ALL private transfers of firearms; in fact, as mentioned above, the introduced-version of HB 77 in the 2013 session did just that.  No background check legislation will ever be “universal”, since criminals will simply ignore the law.

Because it’s an ineffective crime control proposal.  In April of 2013, PoliceOne conducted a national survey of 15,000 active and retired law enforcement officers of all ranks and department sizes on the topics of gun & crime control.  Nearly 80 percent said that a prohibition on private, non-dealer transfers of firearms between individuals would not reduce violent crime.

Because current laws are not being enforced.  According to a 2012 report to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 72,000 people were turned down on a gun purchase in 2010 because they didn’t clear a background check.  Only 44 of those cases – or just .06 percent – were prosecuted.  Existing laws are not even being enforced and proponents are calling for expanding background checks to cover private firearms transactions.

Because gun shows aren’t a source of crime guns.  A Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of state prison inmates who had used or possessed firearms in the course of committing their crimes found that 79 percent acquired their firearms from “street/illegal sources” or “friends and family”.  This includes theft of firearms, black market purchases of stolen firearms, and straw purchases.  Only 1.7 percent obtained a firearm at a gun show.

And perhaps most importantly, because a January 2013 internal Department of Justice memo summarizing so-called gun violence prevention strategies stated that the effectiveness of universal background checks depends on “requiring gun registration.”