A federal appeals court has struck down New Mexico’s seven-day waiting period for gun purchases. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham responded to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, expressing disappointment with the outcome and raising concerns about its potential impact on public safety.
“Today’s decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals is deeply disappointing, plainly wrong and likely to cost lives in New Mexico. New Mexico’s waiting period law was carefully crafted to minimize gun violence while respecting Second Amendment rights. The dissenting opinion in today’s ruling even notes that New Mexico’s law ‘is likely to save approximately thirty-seven lives per year,’” said Governor Lujan Grisham.
She pointed out that the court’s ruling does not align with recent legal precedent in the same circuit. “This ruling ignores a recent binding Tenth Circuit precedent that upheld Colorado’s law barring gun purchases by anyone under the age of 21—a law that requires 18-year-olds to wait three years to purchase a weapon. The ruling also mischaracterizes New Mexico’s gun purchase waiting period, saying it applies to ‘everyone’ when, in fact, it doesn’t apply to those who sell guns to immediate family members, those with a concealed carry permit, and law enforcement officers,” she stated.
Governor Lujan Grisham also referenced evidence supporting waiting periods as an effective tool for reducing impulsive violence and suicide: “The evidence is clear––waiting periods prevent impulsive acts of violence and suicide, giving people time to step back and reassess their emotions during moments of crisis. I’m disappointed that today’s ruling doesn’t take this into account.”
The governor concluded her statement by noting that her administration is considering further legal steps in response: “We are reviewing our legal options in reaction to today’s misguided ruling by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.”
