Things Get Heated Over New Mexico Bill Targeting Gun Stores

January 29, 2026
5:40 pm

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Things are boiling over in New Mexico as a controversial bill snakes through the legislature, zeroing in on gun stores with what critics call a blatant attempt to choke off the lifeblood of the Second Amendment. Dubbed HB 86 by its proponents, the measure mandates that firearms retailers install pricey video surveillance systems, retain footage for a whopping 42 days, and cough up customer data to law enforcement on demand—no warrant required. Sponsored by Democrats in a state already grappling with rising crime rates despite strict gun laws, this isn't just red tape; it's a surveillance dragnet disguised as public safety. Tom Knighton at Bearing Arms breaks it down, highlighting how gun store owners are pushing back hard at public hearings, with one shop owner testifying that compliance costs could run $100,000 per store—enough to shutter small businesses and drive sales underground to unregulated channels. Peel back the layers, and this bill reeks of the same playbook we've seen in California and New York: target the lawful retailers who follow every rule in the book, while criminals thumb their noses at the system. Proponents claim it's about tracing crime guns, but data from ATF traces shows most firearms used in crimes are old, stolen, or sourced from out-of-state black markets—not fresh from FFL dealers. In New Mexico, where border proximity fuels cartel violence, this feels like theater: a way to normalize Big Brother oversight on every hoplophobe's bogeyman, the neighborhood gun shop. It's clever in its insidiousness—frame it as storefront accountability, and suddenly you're the villain for defending privacy rights enshrined in the Fourth Amendment alongside the Second. For the 2A community, the implications are stark: if HB 86 passes, expect a cascade of copycat bills nationwide, eroding the dealer network that keeps the firearms ecosystem lawful and accessible. Gun owners in red states should flood their reps with calls, while NM patriots rally at the Roundhouse—defeat this now, or watch compliance costs inflate until only corporate giants like big-box retailers survive, further centralizing control. Knighton's coverage is a must-read rallying cry; share it, donate to affected stores, and gear up for the fight. The right to keep and bear arms doesn't thrive in a panopticon.

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Peel back the layers, and this bill reeks of the same playbook we’ve seen in California and New York: target the lawful retailers who follow every rule in the book, while criminals thumb their noses at the system. Proponents claim it’s about tracing crime guns, but data from ATF traces shows most firearms used in crimes are old, stolen, or sourced from out-of-state black markets—not fresh from FFL dealers. In New Mexico, where border proximity fuels cartel violence, this feels like theater: a way to normalize Big Brother oversight on every hoplophobe’s bogeyman, the neighborhood gun shop. It’s clever in its insidiousness—frame it as storefront accountability, and suddenly you’re the villain for defending privacy rights enshrined in the Fourth Amendment alongside the Second.

For the 2A community, the implications are stark: if HB 86 passes, expect a cascade of copycat bills nationwide, eroding the dealer network that keeps the firearms ecosystem lawful and accessible. Gun owners in red states should flood their reps with calls, while NM patriots rally at the Roundhouse—defeat this now, or watch compliance costs inflate until only corporate giants like big-box retailers survive, further centralizing control. Knighton’s coverage is a must-read rallying cry; share it, donate to affected stores, and gear up for the fight. The right to keep and bear arms doesn’t thrive in a panopticon.

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