National News
State lawmakers abandon gun background check bill
March 17, 2017 posted by Steve Brownstein
A New Mexico state bill to expand background checks to most private gun transactions has been voted down by a legislative panel, ending chances for approval this year.
The House Judiciary Committee on Monday failed to endorse the Democrat-sponsored initiative designed to extend background checks to gun sales arranged over the internet or on the sidelines of guns shows that don’t involve a licensed dealer.
The bill pitted the national group Everytown for Gun Safety and local advocates against the firearms industry and the New Mexico Sheriff’s Association.
The committee sent a separate bill designed to avoid shootings in domestic violence disputes to the House floor for a final vote. That proposal would ban the possession or purchase of firearms by people under permanent protective orders for domestic violence incidents.