Monday bill hearing on proposal to criminalize guns at the polls
On Monday, the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee (HGEIC) will consider S.B. 44, which will ban anyone except security and law enforcement from carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling place.
Despite mass shooters specifically targeting “gun-free zones” as easy targets, state Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) is pushing the anti-Second Amendment law that would restrict firearms from polling places.
The fiscal impact report for the bill reads, “Senate Bill 44 creates the new crime of unlawful carrying of a firearm at a polling place, a petty misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail.”
The Law Offices of the Public Defender write, “SB44 does not include an intent element. Analyst recommends a requirement that the person ‘intentionally carry a firearm at a polling place’ as an element of the proposed crime. Presuming that the purpose of this new law is to prevent and punish purposeful voter intimidation, the bill should not criminalize the inadvertent act of carrying a firearm to or near a polling station by someone who might have a conceal and carry permit and simply forgotten that the firearm was still on his or her person. An ‘intentional’ or ‘purposeful’ requirement would better target culpable conduct of carrying a firearm to a polling place as an act of
intimidation.”
The bill previously passed the state Senate 28-9.
To contact members of the HGEIC, their information can be found here:
- Chair: D. Wonda Johnson (D). District 5 (McKinley & San Juan). Room 413D, 986-4236. Email: dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov
- Vice Chair: Natalie Figueroa (D). District 30 (Bernalillo). Room 203AN, 986-4255. Email: natalie.figueroa@nmlegis.gov
- Ranking Member: Martin R. Zamora (R). District 63 (Curry, DeBaca, Guadalupe, Roosevelt & San Miguel). Room 203EN, 986-4211. Email: martin.zamora@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Janelle Anyanonu (D). District 19 (Bernalillo). Room 203BN, . Email: Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov
- Member: John Block (R). District 51 (Otero). Room 202B, 986-4220. Email: John.Block@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Gail Chasey (D). District 18 (Bernalillo). Room 134C, 986-4777. Email: gail@gailchasey.com
- Member: Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D). District 15 (Bernalillo). Room 312A, 986-4327. Email: dayan.hochman-vigil@nmlegis.gov
- Member: Charlotte Little (D). District 68 (Bernalillo). Room 203CN, 986-4254. Email: Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov
- Member: William “Bill” R. Rehm (R). District 31 (Bernalillo). Room 201B, 986-4214. Email: bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov
The meeting will occur in Room 305 at the state Capitol at 8:30 a.m. To join the meeting via Zoom, the login information is below:
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81850374006 Or One tap mobile : US: +12532050468,,81850374006# or +12532158782,,81850374006# Webinar ID: 818 5037 4006 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keoXg8C6mc