Legislative Update
February 9, 2025
Dear Friends and Family,
What an exciting week it has been at the Roundhouse! There’s truly nothing better than having home come to Santa Fe; it serves as a powerful reminder of the reasons we fight and what we are fighting for! This week, we proudly celebrated Lincoln County Day, Otero County Days, American Indian Day, as well as recognizing the invaluable contributions of 4-H and FFA. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the journey to join us—I stand proudly with you!
I’m excited to share that four of the bills I am sponsoring were heard this week, and I’m pleased to report that all passed their initial committee reviews:
SB 33: Wildfire Preparedness Act – This bill will advance to the Senate Finance Committee.
SB 81: New Mexico Property Insurance Program Association Board – This bill will also move to the Senate Finance Committee.
HB 175: Forest and Watershed Buffer Projects – This bill will proceed to the House Appropriations and Finance Committee.
HB 176: Backup Power Generation Tax Credit – This bill will go to the House Tax and Revenue Committee.
Looking ahead, I have two important bills scheduled for discussion this week:
SB 134: Natural Disaster Loans & Fund – Set for Tuesday, February 11th, in the Senate Conservation Committee.
HB 277: Millage for Certain School Districts – Scheduled for Wednesday, February 12th, in the Education Committee.
My vision for this year is centered on supporting you—helping you rebuild and reclaim your lives. We must do more to safeguard our families, homes, and communities. It’s crucial that we actively manage our forests by removing excess timber, which will pave the way for rebuilding homes. As we take these steps, I hope to see traditional insurance companies return, ideally with more affordable rates.
Here is a summary of the recent firearm-related legislative activity, we will continue to do everything we can to stop these bills.
1. Proposed Semi-Auto Ban (SB279)
** Would ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic rifles, magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and other semi-auto firearms.
-Awaiting a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
2. House Judiciary Committee Actions
**HB12 (“Red-Flag” Law Expansion): Passed along party lines, heading to the House Floor for a vote.
**HB38 (Weapon Conversion Device Ban): A major amendment was introduced, limiting focus to illegally obtained Glock switches. The amendment has yet to be released to the public.
3. Support for HB162 (Repealing 7-Day Waiting Period)
Aims to remove the mandatory waiting period for firearm purchases passed last year.
A lawsuit against the waiting period law is ongoing, but a federal judge declined an injunction.
Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 1:30 PM in the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee (Room 317, Zoom available).
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Together, we can make a difference!
God bless!
Respectfully,
Representative Harlan Vincent
District 56
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