SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday lauded the passage of House Bill 101, the Assault Weapons Regulation Act, prohibiting the sale of assault weapons in New Mexico, from the House Consumer and Public Affairs. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Andrea Romero.

The bill would prohibit the manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, importation and purchase of assault weapons and assault weapon attachments, as well as .50 caliber rifles in the state of New Mexico.

“I am a firm believer in responsible gun ownership – that’s not up for debate,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “But the fact of the matter is that our communities, our families and our law enforcement are put at risk every single day when weapons of war fall into the wrong hands.”

“While most gun owners in New Mexico are responsible, we know that as long as these high capacity weapons are legally accessible, they will be legally purchased by individuals who want to use them to harm other people,” said Rep. Andrea Romero. “We have seen far too many mass shootings carried out using these weapons, and as state lawmakers, we have the power to take this important step to prevent these senseless tragedies.”

“Assault weapons are war tools designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible and do not belong in our civilian population. Because of their inherent lethality, they have become the weapon of choice for mass shooters,” said Miranda Viscoli, co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. “We commend Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for making this bill a priority in order to keep New Mexicans safe.”

“From Alamogordo to Albuquerque, New Mexicans deserve to live, shop, worship and learn without fear,” said Sean Holihan, state legislative director of Giffords. “Legislatures across the country need to do more to prevent mass shootings and we ask them to follow the lead of gun safety champions like Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Rep. Andrea Romero.”

The legislation includes a grandfather clause that allows current assault weapon owners to keep the weapons upon filing an affidavit with the Department of Public Safety. The legislation also includes other limited exceptions to the prohibition.