Arr, me hearties! New Mexico Gov. Grisham be defendin' her efforts to suspend gun-carry rights in public parks and playgrounds, ye scallywags!
2023-10-11
Arr, hear ye, mateys! The noble Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham be defendin' her decree to suspend the hidin' and revealin' o' guns near public parks and playgrounds, fer the sake o' public health! Aye, she be keepin' the scurvy dogs at bay, she be!
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham defended her decision to treat gun violence as a public health epidemic, citing recent statistics on firearms seizures, reduced reports of gunfire, and an increase in jail bookings. She extended an emergency public health order regarding gun violence for an additional 30 days, although a federal judge temporarily blocked provisions that suspended the right to carry guns in public parks and playgrounds. The governor appeared at a news conference alongside various Cabinet secretaries, emphasizing the need for multiple agencies to respond to the ravages of gun violence and drugs. They unveiled a new website dashboard for statistics related to gun violence in the Albuquerque area. Administration officials stated that some efforts to contain gun violence and drugs would not be possible without the emergency orders, such as expanded behavior health services and emergency funding for drug testing in schools. Lujan Grisham expressed her goal of eliminating gun violence as an epidemic and public health emergency. However, her public health order has faced backlash from critics who view the gun restriction provisions as an infringement on constitutional rights. Lujan Grisham stated that she has a responsibility to explore opportunities for gun-free "safe spaces" amid shifting judicial precedent. The governor's emergency orders also include directives for firearms dealer inspections, reports on gunshot victims at New Mexico hospitals, and voluntary gun-buyback programs. Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero mentioned that her agency is taking custody of high-maintenance inmates to free up staff to address violent crime. Additionally, the Environment Department Secretary James Kenney discussed a planned wastewater testing program to identify opioids at public schools. Lujan Grisham has scaled back initial gun restrictions in the emergency public health order to focus on Albuquerque and the surrounding area, and state police have been given authority to assess penalties for infractions.