Enchantment State News

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a new "red flag" extreme risk protection order gun law into effect last week, making New Mexico the 18th state, plus Washington D.C., with such a law in existence.

The controversial bill was a high priority to the governor, which received no Republican votes from either chamber, passing the House by nine votes and the Senate by just two.

The "Red flag" law allows law enforcement agents to “petition a court for temporary removal of firearms from those who they believe are at risk of harming themselves or others,” according to the bill.

“New Mexico has balanced individual rights and public safety in a responsible way that will reduce our unacceptable suicide rate and other forms of gun violence,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement after signing the bill into law. “The Legislature had the strength to pass this measure because we all recognize: Enough is enough. And we have the power to change the dynamic of gun violence in our communities. Today we are standing up – we do not accept the status quo; we do not accept the risk posed by dangerous armed individuals who have articulated their desire to cause harm.”

“Today Gov. Lujan Grisham signed the red-flag gun grab into law. The people of New Mexico need to be aware that their elected representatives have made it clear that special interests are more important than the rights of our citizens," the House Republican caucus wrote in a Twitter post. 

Despite opposition from Republicans, a number of groups around New Mexico have pushed heavily for stricter gun safety laws, claiming another huge victory for the state.

“We’re grateful to Gov. Lujan Grisham and all the gun sense champions in the legislature for listening to New Mexicans and fighting to keep our families and communities safe,” Anamaria Dahl, a volunteer leader with the New Mexico chapter of Moms Demand Action, said in a statement.

In just two years the state of New Mexico has changed the landscape of gun ownership. Lujan Grisham signed laws last year that require a person subject to protection in a domestic abuse case to surrender their firearms and stricter background checks for most gun purchases.