Two of the most hotly debated bills of the session — one targeting emissions policy and the other unconstitutional sweeping gun regulations — triggered marathon hearings, sharp partisan divides, and dueling victory statements this week at the Roundhouse.
Clear Horizons Act Goes Down in the Senate
On Wednesday, the Senate rejected Senate Bill 18, the so-called “Clear Horizons Act,” on a 19–23 vote, with seven Democrats joining all Republicans in opposition. The measure, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, would have placed into state statute emissions-reduction benchmarks first advanced under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration.
According to reporting by the Santa Fe New Mexican, the bill’s defeat appeared likely even before the final vote, despite emotional appeals from supporters on the floor.
Following the vote, Senate Republicans declared what they called a “massive victory,” saying they “led the charge to defeat the highly-publicized and detrimental ‘Clear Horizons’ environmental initiative.”
“This proposal sought to codify an impossible-to-attain ‘zero emissions’ environmental mandate by the year 2050,” the caucus said in its official release.
In a joint statement, Senate Republicans added:
“Today is a great day for New Mexican citizens, employees, employers, industry leaders, small business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs. We are proud to stand united in our fierce opposition to radical and damaging policies like Senate Bill 18 that seek to destroy our state’s lifeline: our vital industries and businesses.”
Environmental groups sharply criticized the outcome. As reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Demis Foster of Conservation Voters New Mexico said lawmakers “chose to side with a fear-based disinformation campaign led by the state’s polluting industries.”
Supporters on the Senate floor framed the bill as a moral and practical necessity. According to the newspaper, Sen. Bill Soules, D-Las Cruces, warned that natural disasters are no longer hypothetical.
“Natural disaster, devastation on our communities, isn’t a matter of if. It’s a matter of when,” Soules said.
Sen. Harold Pope, D-Albuquerque, emphasized New Mexico’s role as the nation’s second-largest oil producer, arguing the state has a responsibility to lead on climate policy.
Despite those appeals, the coalition against SB 18 held firm, leaving the governor’s climate goals in executive policy rather than state law.
Gun Bill Advances After Hourslong Showdown
While SB 18 died in the Senate, another controversial proposal — Senate Bill 17, known as the “Stop Illegal Gun Act” — survived its first House test after an hourslong and often tense committee hearing.
The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee passed SB 17 on a 6–5 vote, sending it to the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Janelle Anyanonu (D-Bernalillo County) was the only Democrat to vote with all Republicans against the measure.
The bill would impose unconstitutional new regulations on licensed gun dealers, require inventory tracking and security measures, restrict sales of magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and prohibit the sale of gas-operated semiautomatic firearms, including rifles such as AR-15s and AK-47s. Existing owners would be allowed to keep their firearms.
Democrat sponsors described the bill as a “commonsense” effort to reduce gun trafficking and violence. Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, said in a statement:
“SB 17 allows us to take commonsense steps to reduce gun violence and improve public safety by holding retailers more accountable for enforcing our existing laws, while prohibiting the sale of the most dangerous, military-grade weapons used in mass shootings.”
Opposition was swift and vocal. House Republicans called the bill “an outright assault on the Second Amendment and on the freedoms of responsible New Mexicans.”
“Instead of addressing the violent crime crisis plaguing our communities, Democrats are choosing to punish law-abiding citizens and small business owners. That is not public safety. That is political theater,” the caucus said in a statement.
Gun store owners warned the regulations could force closures. Amanda Flores of Zia Guns in Roswell said licensed retailers are already heavily regulated.
“We are trained to identify and stop illegal purchases,” Flores said. “We are not part of the problem, we are already part of the solution.”
Anthony Segura of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association cautioned that magazine limits could endanger lawful gun owners.
“In a real self-defense situation, there is no way to predict how many rounds you may need to defend your life,” he said.
With SB 18 defeated and SB 17 advancing, the Roundhouse remains a battleground over energy, crime, constitutional rights, and the direction of public policy in New Mexico — with both sides signaling they are far from finished.
The democrats in the legislature are about to take away more of your gun rights. this is only the beginning. next session they will have new bills to outlaw firearms and accessories you already own. almost half of new mexicans own guns. ultimately, the dems will keep pushing until most legal gun owners are felons. look at the bright side. democrats support crime. after they make people felons, suddenly they will support them. democrat logic at its finest. PS did you notice nothing done about juvenile crime at the session ? instead they focus on the legal gun owner. you voted for it NM. you always do.
all those fine democrat girls and democrat men that act like girls who never served in the military and know nothing about firearms have decided they need to impinge on your ability to defend yourself and your family. for years they have let crime run wild, and even enacted no cash bail so the criminals are not inconvenienced as they terrorize society. this is what the democrat voter fights for. anarchy. its hopeless in NM. it always will be. it didnt used to be.
they didnt serve in the military, they serve themselves in the state legislature. the trial lawyers get elected, make laws to favor their law practices, their political party. they serve themselves for 10 years crafting policies that help them cash in in their legal dealings then move on to big pensions for life paid for by the people they didnt serve. the taxpayer. thats how it works in NM.
first the democrats came for your wallet. more taxes. then they came for your health with mandated vaccines. if they could, they fired you from your state job or health care position if you refused the vax. then democrats went after health care workers and your doctor, chasing them from the state with absurd laws and insurance requirements that our neighboring states dont have. now democrats are coming for your self protection, aka a firearm. next they will come for your gasoline, your natural gas, your furnace, your water heater, your gas stove, your appliances, your freedom of speech. your closed border. they will eliminate the no tax on tips, no taxes on overtime. the tax break on social security. they will come for anything that gives you independence. They want you to live a lifestyle they prescribe. being the elites, they dont live that way, but they want you to do so.
you forgot to mention the dems come after the unborn with their abortion factories. but you got enough of the other ones so i wont complain. oh, and i almost forgot, they always come after THE TRUTH. squash it !!
We are a border state. For 4 years irresponsible Democrats allowed our country to be invaded by millions of criminals and terrorists. Now irresponsible Democrats want to limit our ability to defend ourselves with the proven most effective home defense weapons. That’s infringement.
If this bill passes , this state will become another nazi or fascist controlled state . Take away the firearms and control the population. These people are so anti-gun they can’t see the end of their nose
What’s really STUPID and not that unbelieveable is one of the Dem legislators even said during the debate that this is an UNCONSTITUTIONAL Bill but then Voted FOR it instead. What kind of STUPIDITY is this crap. They should have to foot the bill personally for the costs when this goes to court to be defeated.
I think that was Joe Cervantes from las cruces who voted yes then no. someone can correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure on that one.
There is an easy solution to our gun violence, put forth a mandatory Ten year prison sentence for crimes committed involving a gun. That would take care of the repeat offenders for at least a decade.
the democrats would call that racist. wont ever happen here in NM. they must protect their constituents. plus they dont think anyone should spend time in jail. they will pay for the migrants, but not the jails to protect the society
I SAY FIRE ALL DEMOCRATS AND HANG THEM
The purpose of the Constitution is to restrain an out of control government. This is a Classic example. They cannot write. Law that goes against the Constitution. So they can say it’s law, but it is not.
democrats wont comply with federal immigration laws. they create sanctuary cities and refuse cooperation with the feds. yet they want us to comply with their laws that violate the 2nd amendment, and our personal rights of self defense ? what self serving phonies they are.
You can’t fix stupid. Criminals will always have access to guns, obtained illegally of course. Evil lurks in the round house and the ungodly MLG will sign it if it passes to gets to her desk for signature.
Satan and his demons only want to steal, kill and destroy. I pray that the people of NM will stand up and stop the maddness during the mid term elections. Vote these fools out of office and get someone in who has common sense and is conservative and far left socialist/communists crazies.
Another thing to address is the ratio between dems and republicans on the committees, a little one sided if you ask me. They are stacking the deck