New Mexico Senate Democrats moved in lockstep Saturday to pass one of the most sweeping gun control measures in the state’s history, advancing legislation that combines a broad semiautomatic firearm ban with extensive new regulations on licensed gun dealers. Senate Bill 17 cleared the chamber on a narrow 21–17 vote, underscoring both the intensity of the debate and the sharply divided views of lawmakers on the scope of the Second Amendment.
Republicans wasted little time in framing the vote as a direct assault on constitutional rights. Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer issued a blistering statement accusing Democrats of knowingly pushing legislation they themselves have acknowledged may be unconstitutional.
In his view, the bill represents a conscious decision to subordinate individual self-defense rights to what he characterized as ideological activism. Sharer argued that New Mexicans deserve lawmakers who respect their oaths of office rather than pursue policies that, in his words, undermine the nation’s constitutional foundation.
The substance of SB 17 gives those criticisms fuel. In addition to banning the most popular semiautomatic rifle in the United States—along with a range of commonly owned semiautomatic shotguns and pistols—the bill imposes a sweeping set of new “security requirements” on licensed firearms dealers.
According to reporting, these mandates include extensive site hardening such as reinforced doors and windows, bars or grates, security screens, and commercial-grade metal doors. Dealers would also be required to install comprehensive video surveillance systems covering every point of sale and every entrance and exit, recording both indoor and outdoor views, and to retain those recordings for a minimum of two years.
Beyond those explicit requirements, the legislation grants regulators broad discretion to impose “other reasonable requirements” deemed necessary by the relevant department and the attorney general. Critics argue that this open-ended authority invites arbitrary enforcement and could drive smaller dealers out of business through compliance costs alone, effectively shrinking legal access to firearms without ever formally banning ownership outright.
State Sen. Jay Block described SB 17 as “the worst mockery of the Second Amendment in the state’s history,” a sentiment echoed by gun rights advocates who see the bill as targeting law-abiding citizens rather than violent criminals.
Supporters of the legislation counter that stricter controls and enhanced dealer security are necessary to reduce gun violence and theft, but opponents note that the bill focuses heavily on restricting commonly owned firearms and burdening licensed businesses rather than addressing criminal misuse.
With passage in the Senate secured, SB 17 is likely to face fierce legal challenges if it becomes law.
