Eliminate Superfluous Firearms Course


Santa Fe—Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle is sponsoring a bill again this year that would no longer require a two-year firearm refresher course in handgun licensing. The bill would not impact the course that is required at the four-year re-licensing period. A similar bill passed the Senate last year 31 to 9.

SB 212 is titled No 2-year Concealed Weapon Refresher Course.+

“The Department of Public Safety does not think this 2 year refresher course is needed after people have passed the four-year re-licensing course. It is more of a burden and is costly and does not affect safety,” Senator Ingle said. “The course that only requires 25 shots at a target appears to require a lot of paperwork, bureaucracy and cost with no benefit.”

Senator Ingle said the two-hour firearms refresher course would not significantly enhance a person’s ability to safely handle a handgun. New Mexico is the only state currently requiring a refresher course. The course required at the four-year re-licensing period would still be required