New Mexico Democrats seek new gun restrictions, enforcement

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Responses from public officials to the killing of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, are falling along partisan lines in New Mexico when it comes to proposals to improve public safety and regulating access to guns. Democratic candidates for the state’s top law enforcement job say New Mexico needs new gun control legislation, more enforcement resources for gun safety or both. A top Republican Party official said Thursday that gun control is not the appropriate answer. Since 2019, New Mexico has enacted a raft of Democratic-backed legislation that restricts access to guns, including an extension of background-check requirements.