| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: | Carol Wight, CEO |
| 3/6/09 | 505-343-9848 | |
| executive@nmrestaurants.org |
Call Today to Oppose SB 608, Allowing Persons to Carry a Concealed Hangun with Permit Into a Licensed Premise
SB 608 – Concealed Handguns in Restaurants is scheduled to be heard in Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY. Your phone call is needed right away to the committee members listed below. Be brief, using some of the points listed below.
TALKING POINTS ON CONCEALED HANDGUN BILL
On behalf of the New Mexico Restaurant Association board and members, I would like you to know we oppose Senate Bill 608 which amends Section 30-7-3 NMSA 1978 to allow a person to carry a concealed handgun (into restaurants with liquor licenses), when in possession of a valid concealed handgun license for that gun pursuant to the Concealed Handgun Carry Act, on the premises of a licensed establishment that derives a majority of its annual gross receipts from the sale of food for consumption on the premises.
- How will the concealed gun permit carrier know whether a restaurant with a liquor license in fact derives a majority of its gross receipts from food or alcohol, before he enters the premises? For example, he might be in violation and guilty of a fourth degree felony IF he goes into a restaurant that makes more off of alcohol than food. Not likely, but possible.
- What if someone comes into a restaurant with a gun? How does a server know they are licensed to carry? Do we ask? If they don’t have a license doesn’t that put the server in a VERY awkward position? If they do have a license, are we required to check it? Do we need yet more server training? Can we get money from the NRA (National Rifle Association) to train our servers how to cautiously request a concealed carry license of everyone with a bulge at their waistline? Do we have to card for these licenses if this passes?
- I am also very concerned about the guy without the license, carrying a weapon into a restaurant and putting a server in the position of having to ask for a license to carry a concealed weapon. Once again, it puts restaurants and servers in charge of law enforcement.
- What assurances do we have that the concealed carry licensees are better equipped to handle alcohol than the general public? None. It’s still guns and alcohol and they still don’t mix. This seems like one of those laws that we will look back on and ask, “What were we thinking?”.
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
| Senator | Cisco McSorley (D) | Chair | 505-986-4485 |
| Senator | Richard C. Martinez (D) | Vice Chair | 505-986-4389 |
| Senator | Tim Eichenberg (D) | Member | 505-986-4859 |
| Senator | Clinton D. Harden (R) | Member | 505-986-4369 |
| Senator | Linda M. Lopez (D) | Member | 505-986-4737 |
| Senator | Sander Rue (R) | Member | 505-986-4375 |
| Senator | John C. Ryan (R) | Member | 505-986-4373 |
| Senator | Bernadette M. Sanchez (D) | Member | 505-986-4267 |
| Senator | Michael S. Sanchez (D) | Member | 505-986-4267 |
| Senator | Peter Wirth (D) | Member | 505-986-4276 |
| Senator | William H. Payne (R) | Ranking Member | 505-986-4703 |
The New Mexico Restaurant Association’s mission is to empower the food and beverage industry by promoting and protecting common values and interests. It has more than 1,000 members in 111 cities all over New Mexico, who join together for meetings, seminars and the hospitality industry awards to honor the industry’s top achievers. It has actively represented and promoted the food service industry in New Mexico since 1946.
