Senate Bill 29, introduced by Senator Steven Neville in December, changes the concealed carry license renewal period to up to ninety days prior to the expiration of the license, allows up to 90 days after expiration for renewal instead of 60 days, renewals will not require additional fingerprinting, and removes the requirement for the 2-year refresher.

House Bill 148, introduced by Representative Bill Rehm on Jan. 24th, is a complete repeal of Section 30-7-9, which states, “Residents of states contiguous to New Mexico may purchase firearms in New Mexico.  Residents of New Mexico may purchase firearms in states contiguous to New Mexico.”

House Bill 136, introduced by Representative Zachary Cook on Jan. 24th, removes the limitation of carrying only one concealed handgun at any given time, allows concealed carry permit holders to carry on school premises, preschools, and university campuses, licensed establishments that do not sell beverages for consumption on the premises, restaurants licensed to sell beer and wine and derive no less than 60% of its annual gross receipts from the sale of food consumption on the premises (unless posted by the restaurant owner), buses, and state parks.

The effective date of these bills, if passed, is July 1, 2011.

Anyone interested in reading these bills can obtain them via the NM Legislature’s bill locator section of their website.  www.nmlegis.gov/ The website also contains information on how to contact your legislator via email or phone, and it includes the committee schedules, should these bills be discussed in committee.  All are assigned to the consumer and public affairs committee.