NM Mayor Backs State's New Gun Law

Josey1

Mayor Backs State's New Gun Law By S.U. MaheshJournal Capitol Bureau SANTA FE - Albuquerque Mayor Martin Ch?vez is asking the state Supreme Court to throw out a petition filed by his predecessor challenging the state's new concealed-carry law. Ch?vez, who supports carrying concealed weapons, said the petition filed by former Mayor Jim Baca does not reflect his own position "on these important public policy issues." While he was still mayor, Baca filed a petition as a private citizen with the Supreme Court, contending the concealed-carry law was unconstitutional. Baca cited a provision of Article II, Section 6 of the New Mexico Constitution that says no law shall abridge a citizen's right to keep and bear arms, "but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons." The Legislature approved the law last year, and the state Department of Public Safety issued thousands of applications preparing to implement the concealed-carry law in January. But the Supreme Court last November blocked the issuance of concealed-carry permits until it reviewed the constitutional questions. Ch?vez also contended in his filing Tuesday that Baca's petition would prohibit undercover police officers from carry concealed weapons. "(Ch?vez) seeks to protect the public and is concerned that this dispute, as currently framed by (Baca's) petition, could lead to undesirable and absurd results," Ch?vez's motion claimed. David Campbell, Baca's attorney, called Ch?vez's argument "ludicrous," because the former mayor's petition never intended to take away concealed weapons from undercover police officers. Campbell, who is representing Baca for free, also pointed out that Baca was challenging the concealed-carry law as a private citizen and not as the former mayor of Albuquerque. Baca said in a telephone interview Tuesday that Ch?vez was caving into the National Rifle Association and the gun groups. "He's making a big mistake on this," Baca said. "It's not going to keep our kids safe or our families safe." Baca said he used his own money to challenge the concealed-carry law. Baca twice tried unsuccessfully to have Albuquerque adopt a local law that would ban the carrying of concealed handguns. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the law sometime in the spring. Copyright 2002 Albuquerque Journal http://www.abqjournal.com/paperboy/text/news/611015news02-27-02.htm