Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued a new health order rolling back gun control measures her administration imposed earlier this month. On September 8, Gov. Lujan Grisham announced plans to temporarily ban firearms in public areas and government lands in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County due to an increase in gun violence. The ban includes exceptions for law enforcement and licensed security personnel, as well as private property and licensed gun dealers and gunsmiths for lawful transfers or repairs.
The decision to implement the gun control measures was influenced by the involvement of Gov. Lujan Grisham in two mass shootings this year, where children were tragically killed. However, the interim order has faced backlash from both Republicans and Democrats, with several groups filing lawsuits claiming it violates the U.S. Constitution. The National Gun Rights Association, in particular, has filed a legal challenge to block the ban.
U.S. District Judge David Urias issued a temporary order after New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez refused to protect the governor from legal challenges. The restraining order temporarily halted the implementation of the ban. Following the judge’s ruling, the National Gun Rights Association expressed satisfaction, referring to it as a temporary rein on Governor Grisham’s “tyranny.”
In response to the legal challenges and criticisms, Gov. Lujan Grisham issued an amended order on Friday, replacing the ban. The amended order clarifies that firearms can now be carried in parks and playgrounds in Albuquerque and Bernalillo counties. It also specifies that the 30-day limit does not apply to parks managed by the Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources or state land departments.
In a statement accompanying the revised public health order, Governor Grisham emphasized the commitment to ending the public health emergency caused by gun violence. She called for urgent action and expressed a refusal to accept the status quo, stating that enough is enough.