New Mexico Limited Firearms Preemption Statute

New Mexico's preemption of local firearms regulation comes from the state constitution, not a statute. Article II, Section 6, amended in 1986, provides that 'no municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms.' Courts read this broadly to preclude piecemeal local gun ordinances and to ensure statewide uniformity, so a city or county generally cannot impose its own carry, possession, or sales restrictions on lawful gun owners. The same section reserves regulation of concealed carry to state law. A 2002 amendment lets local governments regulate the location and construction of sport shooting ranges.

Local ordinances that regulate an incident of the right to keep and bear arms are void under Article II, Section 6 and may be enjoined or invalidated by the courts.