SB 17 in New Mexico and SB 749 in Virginia signal a renewed assault on the Second Amendment by banning common firearms and magazines.
New Mexico’s Senate Bill 17, misleadingly titled the “Stop Illegal Gun Trade and Extremely Dangerous Weapons Act,” passed the Senate last week by a vote of 21-17 and will be heard by the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee on Wednesday, February 11th at 1:30 PM MST.
If signed into law, SB 17 would outlaw the sale of widely owned semi-automatic firearms, magazines holding more than ten rounds, and .50-caliber rifles under the label of “extremely dangerous weapons.”
Though proponents claim it targets crime, the bill’s overly broad definitions sweep in countless firearms that millions of Americans use responsibly for self-defense, hunting, and sport.
By branding nearly all gas-operated semi-autos as forbidden, SB 17 doesn’t just go after criminal misuse — it strips rights from peaceful citizens who follow the law.
The bill also erects costly and invasive regulatory hurdles for licensed dealers, from onerous security mandates to excessive recordkeeping and reporting requirements, threatening family-owned gun shops across the state.
Local dealers would face new liability risks and civil penalties for minor compliance mistakes, an attack on small business and gun culture alike.
Parallel to New Mexico’s assault, Virginia Senate Bill 749 passed the Senate by a vote of 21-19 on February 9th and now heads to the House.
SB 749 aims to ban the importation, sale, and possession of “assault firearms” and most standard-capacity magazines.
Under the current legislation, law-abiding Virginians could be turned into criminals simply for retaining magazines they already own — with no grandfathering protections.
Both bills — in New Mexico and Virginia — fly in the face of U.S. Supreme Court precedent affirming that firearms “in common use” are protected by the Second Amendment, making these measures Constitutionally questionable at best.
If you live in New Mexico and would like to contact key legislators, urging them to oppose SB 17, click here.
If you live in Virginia and would like to contact key legislators, urging them to oppose SB 749, click here.
