Senate passes bill for 7-day waiting period on gun buys
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Feb. 10—SANTA FE — The New Mexico Senate passed a bill Saturday night that would put a seven-day waiting period on gun purchases.
The bill cleared the chamber 23-18 after several Republican amendments aimed at carving out exemptions for military members and people who have orders of protection against another person.
"This bill would create a waiting period between the purchase of a firearm and delivery," said Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, one of the bill's sponsors.
Supporters of the bill said it would help curb suicides and other acts of violence.
Other states have also adopted similar waiting periods for firearm purchases.
Sen. Crystal Diamond Brantley, R-Elephant Butte, introduced an amendment that would have exempted people who have an order of protection against another person from the waiting period. The amendment failed.
"The exemption is for a buyer who has obtained an order of protection," she said. "Someone who is clearly not in danger of themself but is certainly in danger of someone else."
The House will have to approve the bill.
