SALT LAKE CITY – New Mexico will no longer accept Utah’s gun permits because officials there think Utah’s training is inadequate.
State Public Safety Secretary John Denko says Utah licenses require significantly less training than New Mexico’s. But Clark Aposhian with the Utah Shooting Sports Council says Utah has the best training in the country.
“I’ll put up our training and our stats to show that it is as good if not better than any other state,” he says.
Aposhian also says Utah made close to $1 million in gun sales revenue last year. He thinks New Mexico wants to cash in on that.
“It is a component in the balance sheet of a state’s budget,” he says. “It’s all basically an excuse by saying that Utah’s training is not as good.”
Aposhian notes that Utah gun permits are very popular and are accepted in 35 states as opposed to about 21 for New Mexico gun permits.
He says there were reports that New Mexico gun trainers were urging gun owners to get Utah gun permits because they’re cheaper. Utah charges $35 for gun licenses while New Mexico charges $100. Still, none of this justifies banning Utah gun permits, according to Aposhian.
“Utah has the best background checks. We check backgrounds every 24 hours and New Mexico has background checks every four years,” he says.
The move to ban Utah gun permits is a bad move, says Aposhian, but he also believes gun owners should support the second amendment by buying gun permits from their own states.
Right now, New Mexico is working with 18 other states to ensure their gun permit requirements meet its strict state guidelines.
DPS Press Release
New Mexico No Longer Recognizes Utah Concealed Carry License
April 23, 2010
Contact: Peter Olson
(505) 827-3361
Santa Fe—Effective immediately New Mexico will no longer recognize concealed carry licenses issued by the State of Utah for the purposes of reciprocity in New Mexico, as the requirements for licensure in Utah do not meet the standards required in New Mexico statute. Rules governing the concealed carrying of weapons and issuance of licenses require that training and other provisions be as stringent or substantially similar to New Mexico requirements.
Questions concerning licenses obtained from Utah by New Mexico residents have made it necessary to reevaluate which states will be recognized as valid in New Mexico.
“We’ve had situations where certain concealed carry instructors in New Mexico solicit clients with the promise that if they train here and obtain a Utah license, which entails significantly less training than does a New Mexico license, it will qualify here,” said Department of Public Safety Secretary John Denko. “This is incorrect, and is nothing less than an effort to circumvent New Mexico concealed carry requirements which are designed to protect the public safety while honoring individual rights under the Second Amendment of the constitution.”
The state will also review the status of eighteen other states currently recognized on an informal basis, with the intent of entering into written agreements with these states to ensure compliance with New Mexico law. These states are: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.
New Mexico currently has a written reciprocity agreement in place with Texas; the status of this agreement will remain unchanged.
I live and work in the state and can tell you that very few of our lib. pols. are 2nd friendly. I took my ccw class in Feb. and it will be longer than 6 mos. before I will receive my permit. And it has not been all that many years ago that you could not carry concealed, but could carry openly almost anywhere. The cc laws have so damn many places that if you get caught carrying you will be going to jail that it’s almost not worth the trouble. No carry in liquor est. no carry in state parks, schools, anywhere that owners of property want to ban etc. it’s a bit rediculous.
Hell you’ve got to wait 6 months for a permit! That is ridiculous. Also you still cannot carry into your local stop and rob due to the fact they sell alcohol. Correct? It took a long time to get carry laws in NM. But it seems there is a long way to go. All that crap really makes me not to want to make the move. Beautiful country though.
The trend isn’t anti-CCW, it’s more about getting the dollars for the permit back in state. Utah has made a shit ton of money (taxes and fees) because of their wide reaching CC permits reciprocity. These states just want a piece of the pie, and the only way they can ensure that people get the permit in their home state, and keep the money in state, is to not recognized other states permits. Don’t get all “antsy in the pantsy” just yet.
Correct, this is a potential source of income for New Mexico state government (the state’s broke – not California broke, but a half billion in the hole).
The more demanding training requirement? I believe it’s 15 rounds at 7 or 10 yards, fired with the biggest caliber you intend to carry (i.e., qualify with a .45 automatic, or a .45 Auto Rim or Single Action Army in revolvers and you can carry anything with a smaller bore diameter).:rolleyes:
Yup, I live here in Albuquerque. Its easy to say the least. I carry no matter where I go, legal or not. And it can take six months but thats not NM deal, its FBI background. Same as getting an NFA weapon…
If it’s the FBI background as you state than why in NV can you get approved sometimes in less than 2 weeks? UT has a legal requirement that you have your paperwork processed and permit issued within 60 days as long as you have no “issues”. UT also charges 1/2 the price of a lot of states at only $65.25 for 5 years and a $10 renewal fee without having to “retest” or go through another class.
Why not?!?!? I travel to NM all the time and this is a huge pain in the ass. I neither have time or inclination to obtain ANOTHER CC permit in another state and my UT permit made it possible to defend myself and my family prior to this BS. When is the time to get all “antsy in the pantsy”? When they’ve taken away all our rights and guns?!?! Rarely do I walk that road but give me a fuckin’ break! Now is the time to get pissed and stand up and say something. Maybe I’ll just join the Open Carry crowd, no fees, no permission and less bullshit.
Whoa whoa whoaaaa! I’m not saying it’s a good thing, just that I thought people were getting worried about Anti-CC rather than realizing it’s a money issue. The CC movement is growing, and they want in on it, that’s all I was getting at.
A smarter piece of legislation would be that a person is required to have their home states permit, while still allowing other states to maintain their reciprocity.
Sorry, maybe I was jumping the gun. I have lots of family in NM and go there a lot for work as well. After NV dropped FL & UT this past year it seems like more states will be headed that way. Again, sorry for the rant but I’m pissed.
FYI - NM isn’t very 2nd Amendment friendly. Look at their alcohol laws VS concealed or open carry, they suck.
I remember a few years ago when they were trying to get the CCW laws passed in NM, I got into a debate with a man by the name of Steve Akin from down Carlsbad way. Steven was heavily involved in the push to get CCW through he legislature and on to the Gov’s desk.
My position at the time was that the bill as proposed, No carry where they sold booze (read: grocery store), qualifying with every gun you planned to carry; was very close to no CCW at all. Steve made a point to say that it was a foot in the door and his strategy was incrimentalism. Get it on the books and then change the law.
I have to give it to Steve, they have done a lot with this strategy, and it’s still working. they’re getting restaurant carry in July. But the point is, this stuff changes all the time. Yes we have to keep up on it, but I think they’re making more positive progress than not. and I’m not just saying that cause I lost a bet with Steve. But I’d bet he’s back there trying to get DPS to change it again.
Having never had to rely on UT permits, I feel for you guys that need them and I agree, it sucks. I’m just happy that VA’s permit is getting better everyday because it means I get to carry every time I’m back in home in NM.
Florida’s will cover it for now. However, I don’t know how long that will be in effect and NM does not have a non-resident permit. This was taken off of the official NM site linked to above.
The state will also review the status of eighteen other states currently recognized on an informal basis, with the intent of entering into written agreements with these states to ensure compliance with New Mexico law. These states are: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.
How would you feel about NM resident student drivers getting a Mexican drivers license that costs 1/3 of what a NM DL would cost, and requires no written or driving proficiency test? Do you think that letting 16 year olds loose in a car on the interstate with one 4 hour class and no testing is a good idea?
The fact is that the Utah CHL training requirements are a joke and if NM doesn’t want to honor the Utah license then they are right to make that decision. It’s the State of NM’s right to make whatever decision they want.
When states bring their training and proficiency requirements up high enough to convince other states that their CHL holders are safe, then reciprocity works, just like with drivers licenses.
Now before I get a lot of replies about God given rights and the 2nd Amendment, let me say that I and the law agree that anyone can drive, or carry concealed, ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY, without a license. But once you set out amongst the public, you need to show that you are safe, knowledgeable and mature enough to carry your gun, or drive your car.
After years of carrying, competing and training with firearms, I’m as sick of unsafe, immature and ignorant folks carrying firearms as I am of crappy drivers.
