New Mexico No Longer Recognizes Utah Concealed Carry License Santa Fe

[Swinokur]

http://www.dps.nm.org/newsReleases/D...ry_License.pdf

New Mexico No Longer Recognizes Utah Concealed Carry License

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.

[lukem]

I just updated the maps to reflect this change. Thanks.

[utimmer43]

“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.”

I'm not buying it. I highly doubt anyone was advertising that getting a UT permit was a way to get around the NM requirements. I would love to see any substantive evidence that any UT permit holders have acted in any illegal or responsible way at any rate greater than NM permit holders. It's all about the $$$ for all involved. NM doesn't like losing permit money to another state. So the easy target is UT. Likewise, why would someone get a license that costs $100 every 4 years, when they could get one that has even more reciprocal agreements and only cost $65 (+/-) the first time, and only $10 every 5 years thereafter?

What a crock. Well, I guess I avoid NM until I get a FL permit. I doubt that I'm missing much.

[Swinokur]

I'm not buying it. I highly doubt anyone was advertising that getting a UT permit was a way to get around the NM requirements. I would love to see any substantive evidence that any UT permit holders have acted in any illegal or responsible way at any rate greater than NM permit holders. It's all about the $$$ for all involved. NM doesn't like losing permit money to another state. So the easy target is UT. Likewise, why would someone get a license that costs $100 every 4 years, when they could get one that has even more reciprocal agreements and only cost $65 (+/-) the first time, and only $10 every 5 years thereafter?

What a crock. Well, I guess I avoid NM until I get a FL permit. I doubt that I'm missing much.

The release states they are scrutinizing 18 other states as well. FL included. A FL permit may be invalid as well. time will tell.

[Swinokur]

I just updated the maps to reflect this change. Thanks.

Thank you for the site

[Swinokur]

I'm not buying it. I highly doubt anyone was advertising that getting a UT permit was a way to get around the NM requirements. I would love to see any substantive evidence that any UT permit holders have acted in any illegal or responsible way at any rate greater than NM permit holders. It's all about the $$$ for all involved. NM doesn't like losing permit money to another state. So the easy target is UT. Likewise, why would someone get a license that costs $100 every 4 years, when they could get one that has even more reciprocal agreements and only cost $65 (+/-) the first time, and only $10 every 5 years thereafter?

What a crock. Well, I guess I avoid NM until I get a FL permit. I doubt that I'm missing much.

It may be this was easier than changing the actual law to require NM residents to have NM permits.But it couild be just the dollars as you mentioned.

[NMHunter]

I'm not buying it. I highly doubt anyone was advertising that getting a UT permit was a way to get around the NM requirements. I would love to see any substantive evidence that any UT permit holders have acted in any illegal or responsible way at any rate greater than NM permit holders. It's all about the $$$ for all involved. NM doesn't like losing permit money to another state. So the easy target is UT. Likewise, why would someone get a license that costs $100 every 4 years, when they could get one that has even more reciprocal agreements and only cost $65 (+/-) the first time, and only $10 every 5 years thereafter?

What a crock. Well, I guess I avoid NM until I get a FL permit. I doubt that I'm missing much.

Sorry you feel that way. The Land of Enchantment really is enchanting. I own a gun shop here but am not a CHL instructor.

It is true though that there were/are 'instructors' who were advertising, mostly word of mouth or at gun shows, that their cheaper, one day class for Utah's license would take care of New Mexico. Which it did. These 'instructors' were undercutting the NM certified instructors who have to do a two day, 16 hour, class, that usually included the Utah certification if they were so certified. The Utah only instructors were just not providing the same training. Many of the NM certified instructors complained, rightly, that they were getting called greedy, cheats, and other stuff by potential customers and the Utah only instructors for charging more for "the same thing". I don't know about you but if I'm giving a two day class and following all the rules that is worth more than someone who is not even providing half the work and, as we see from the state police announcement, causing problems in the long term.

I don't want to say anything about the state police as that gets into local politics and is probably not of interest to most of you. Most of them, SP, are in favor of the rest of us responsible folk being armed. As one Chief of Police said when he was talking to one of my friends when he got his finger print card filled, "You're one of us now! Welcome!"

[Glock Fan]

This is one of the reasons why I advise my students to get and maintain as many CC licenses/permits as they can afford. Laws change on a frequent basis and can often change quite quickly. Until our 2A rights are recognized nation wide, this is the best we can do to ensure our ability to legally travel armed.

Does this change have any effect on OC? Absent the places restricted under federal law (school zones, federal property, etc.) Is OC still possible without a NM recognized license/permit?



gf

[Boomboy007]

In my opinion, the only states that really respect the Bill of Rights is Alaska, Vermont, and Arizona. No permit needed, carry open or concealed.

How can three such disparate states get it, and everyone else complain about permit fees and class times?

[utimmer43]

Sorry you feel that way. The Land of Enchantment really is enchanting.

Sorry if that came off as a knock on NM. My point about not missing much is that I've gone this long without visiting the state, it won't kill me to avoid it until I am able to CC there.

It is true though that there were/are 'instructors' who were advertising, mostly word of mouth or at gun shows, that their cheaper, one day class for Utah's license would take care of New Mexico. Which it did. These 'instructors' were undercutting the NM certified instructors who have to do a two day, 16 hour, class, that usually included the Utah certification if they were so certified. The Utah only instructors were just not providing the same training.

OK, this is different than the claim that Department of Public Safety Secretary John Denko is making, that it "is nothing less than an effort to circumvent New Mexico concealed carry requirements". He may as well have called it a loophole. The problem with the claim is that no one was circumventing anything. Everything was aboveboard and legal. So who in their right mind would pay for a NM permit if a UT permit is acceptable? Sure, the fact that the training part is less intensive is a kicker. But I highly doubt that the majority of applicants based their decisions solely on the training requirements.

So really what it comes down to is money and as you mention, the whining of the NM instructors who were losing business to the UT instructors. Well, that is how capitalism works. And here comes the government to foul it up. Guess what. Now the UT instructors get the shaft. At any rate, whatever criteria they use to decide whose permits to honor is what it is. (which BTW has me wondering why they honored UT in the first place?) I just don't like being fed this load of tripe that there was some sort of malfeasance at hand.