Santa Fe, NM — Today, the New Mexico House Republican Caucus sent a formal letter to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon warning that Senate Bill 17 is a clear and blatant violation of the Second Amendment.
SB 17 bans firearms that are in common lawful use, prohibits standard-capacity magazines, and outlaws entire classes of firearms based solely on their operating mechanisms. The U.S. Supreme Court has been unequivocal. States cannot ban commonly owned firearms. SB 17 ignores that precedent entirely.
This bill also creates a de facto firearms registry. It forces dealers to collect and retain detailed records on lawful gun owners, mandates ongoing reporting to state agencies, and permanently transfers those records to the state government if a dealer closes. That is government tracking of lawful firearm ownership, and it directly conflicts with constitutional protections.
At a time when New Mexico is facing a violent crime crisis, SB 17 does absolutely nothing to target criminals. Violent offenders do not follow magazine limits or buy guns through licensed dealers. This bill punishes law-abiding citizens while leaving criminals untouched.
We are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to closely review SB 17 and make clear what should already be obvious. This legislation does not meet constitutional standards and will not withstand legal scrutiny.
Public safety does not require shredding the Constitution. It requires enforcing existing laws and holding violent criminals accountable. The New Mexico House Republican Caucus will continue to oppose unconstitutional gun bans and stand firmly for the rights of law-abiding New Mexicans.
***See attached letter sent to the U.S. Department of Justice***
***Sees attached Senate Bill 17 of the 2026 New Mexico Legislature***
