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Posted on 02/12/2026 2:48:41 PM PST by CedarDave
Two of the most hotly debated bills of the session — one targeting emissions policy and the other unconstitutional sweeping gun regulations — triggered marathon hearings, sharp partisan divides, and dueling victory statements this week at the Roundhouse.
Clear Horizons Act Goes Down in the Senate
On Wednesday, the Senate rejected Senate Bill 18, the so-called “Clear Horizons Act,” on a 19–23 vote, with seven Democrats joining all Republicans in opposition. The measure, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, would have placed into state statute emissions-reduction benchmarks first advanced under Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration.
According to reporting by the Santa Fe New Mexican, the bill’s defeat appeared likely even before the final vote, despite emotional appeals from supporters on the floor.
Following the vote, Senate Republicans declared what they called a “massive victory,” saying they “led the charge to defeat the highly-publicized and detrimental ‘Clear Horizons’ environmental initiative.”
“This proposal sought to codify an impossible-to-attain ‘zero emissions’ environmental mandate by the year 2050,” the caucus said in its official release.
In a joint statement, Senate Republicans added:
“Today is a great day for New Mexican citizens, employees, employers, industry leaders, small business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs. We are proud to stand united in our fierce opposition to radical and damaging policies like Senate Bill 18 that seek to destroy our state’s lifeline: our vital industries and businesses.”
Environmental groups sharply criticized the outcome. As reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Demis Foster of Conservation Voters New Mexico said lawmakers “chose to side with a fear-based disinformation campaign led by the state’s polluting industries.”
Supporters on the Senate floor framed the bill as a moral and practical necessity. According to the newspaper, Sen. Bill Soules, D-Las Cruces, warned that natural disasters are no longer hypothetical.
“Natural disaster, devastation on our communities, isn’t a matter of if. It’s a matter of when,” Soules said.
Sen. Harold Pope, D-Albuquerque, emphasized New Mexico’s role as the nation’s second-largest oil producer, arguing the state has a responsibility to lead on climate policy.
Despite those appeals, the coalition against SB 18 held firm, leaving the governor’s climate goals in executive policy rather than state law.
Gun Bill Advances After Hours-long Showdown
While SB 18 died in the Senate, another controversial proposal — Senate Bill 17, known as the “Stop Illegal Gun Act” — survived its first House test after an hours-long and often tense committee hearing.
The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee passed SB 17 on a 6–5 vote, sending it to the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Janelle Anyanonu (D-Bernalillo County) was the only Democrat to vote with all Republicans against the measure.
The bill would impose unconstitutional new regulations on licensed gun dealers, require inventory tracking and security measures, restrict sales of magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and prohibit the sale of gas-operated semiautomatic firearms, including rifles such as AR-15s and AK-47s. Existing owners would be allowed to keep their firearms.
Democrat sponsors described the bill as a “commonsense” effort to reduce gun trafficking and violence. Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, said in a statement:
“SB 17 allows us to take commonsense steps to reduce gun violence and improve public safety by holding retailers more accountable for enforcing our existing laws, while prohibiting the sale of the most dangerous, military-grade weapons used in mass shootings.”
Opposition was swift and vocal. House Republicans called the bill “an outright assault on the Second Amendment and on the freedoms of responsible New Mexicans.”
“Instead of addressing the violent crime crisis plaguing our communities, Democrats are choosing to punish law-abiding citizens and small business owners. That is not public safety. That is political theater,” the caucus said in a statement.
Gun store owners warned the regulations could force closures. Amanda Flores of Zia Guns in Roswell said licensed retailers are already heavily regulated.
“We are trained to identify and stop illegal purchases,” Flores said. “We are not part of the problem, we are already part of the solution.”
Anthony Segura of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association cautioned that magazine limits could endanger lawful gun owners.
“In a real self-defense situation, there is no way to predict how many rounds you may need to defend your life,” he said.
With SB 18 defeated and SB 17 advancing, the Roundhouse remains a battleground over energy, crime, constitutional rights, and the direction of public policy in New Mexico — with both sides signaling they are far from finished.
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From that article:
The New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops endorsed the bill in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
Signed by Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester, Gallup Diocese Bishop James Wall and Las Cruces Diocese Bishop Peter Baldacchino, the statement said the conference of bishops fully supported the bill and said they would continue to pray for all those affected by gun violence.
"We know that we must keep in mind the victims of gun violence, reduce the number of military-style weapons on the street, and hold dealers accountable," the statement said. "Despite the possibility of constitutional challenges, we must advance legislation that protects society."
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In a free country, it's the Second Amendment that protects society.
“”””We know that we must keep in mind the victims of gun violence, reduce the number of military-style weapons on the street, and hold dealers accountable,” the statement said.””
But we don’t care how many drug dealers, murderers and terrorists walk across the border illegally.
New Metsico males need to lay off of those yellow banana peppers and go with either red or green peppers. Preferably the red peppers. Da hos is comin for da gunz.
Will
Not
Comply
It’s time to tax these liberal churches.
They need to have skin in the game.
I really wanted to move from formerly great Colorado (now Califorinicated) to NM. Thankfully, I’m now up to speed on the rapidity of NM’s descent into leftist third-world existance. Sad. Oh well, there are still choices.
Sorry, fellas. New Mexico and Colorado are Californicated.
Oregon (Portland), Washington (Seattle), New Mexico (Santa Fe), Arizona (Phoenix), Colorado (Denver/Boulder), Illinois (Chicago), Idaho is a refuge for Californicaters to vote for communism.
A lot of people from socialist states move to capitalist states to escape high taxes. Then they support communists and take over. Like termites.
Soon, there will be no place to run.
*Idaho has been Californicated over the past few years. Lots of rich Californians moving there.
Not to worry their gun bans will be dead also. We have a constitution and the second amendment. that state can’t override it.
I heard again last night that TRUMP has caused the MURDER RATE in the USA to drop to 1900 levels! That is the lowest level in 126 years!
So why the sudden rush for gun control when it has been found that simply ARRESTING CRIMINALS works far better than useless gun control scams.
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