In a recent press release, New Mexico House Republicans listed every crime bill that Republicans introduced during the 2023 legislative session that did not make it into law. Following New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s recent gun ban, subsequent outrage, and calls for an emergency legislative session to address crime, House Republican Leader Ryan Lane thought it relevant to readdress these past possible solutions.
"It is disingenuous for anyone to assert that Republicans ‘have no plan to tackle crime," Lane said, according to a press release. "Our Caucus has been fighting to address this growing crisis only to be ignored by Democrats in the Legislature. If Democrats are truly serious about crime, then let’s come back to Santa Fe and quickly pass these bills."
In the press release, New Mexican Republicans specifically called on Grisham to call a special session of the legislature to address crime in New Mexico. They also stated that they are considering circulating a petition to convene the state legislature.
The press release also lays out every crime bill Republicans introduced and what happened to them. These bills include: HB 509 Pretrial Detention Presumption, HB 58 Additional Violent Felonies, HB 59 Unlawful Firearms while Trafficking, HB 60 Enhanced Sentencing for Fentanyl, HB 61 Felons in Possession of a Firearm, HB 155 Aggravated Battery on a Peace Officer, HB 341 Court-Ordered Drug or Health Treatment, HB 458 Felons and Firearms Penalties, and HB 485 Child Sex Offense Penalties, almost all of which were killed or stalled in committee.
As reported previously in the New Mexico Sun, following Grisham’s temporary gun ban, which has since been blocked by a federal judge, Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller also called for a special session of the legislature to address gun violence. The gun ban was ordered in response to recent shooting deaths of children in New Mexico.
During the usual 2023 legislative session, New Mexican Republicans made public remarks about feeling that certain Republican-backed crime bills were passed over in favor of similar Democrat-backed crime bills.
In a study based on available data from 2022, New Mexico has the second highest rate of violent crime of any state at 7.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, behind only Alaska.
According to EveryStat.org, New Mexico has the 12th highest rate of gun violence in the United States, as 433 people die and 618 are wounded by guns in New Mexico in an average year. The rate of gun deaths increased by 53% from 2011 to 2020, while the national average increased by 33%. In New Mexico, 63% of gun deaths are suicides.