SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement after House Bill 12, Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order (ERPO) Changes, cleared the House Judiciary Committee in a 7-4 vote on Wednesday: 

“By eliminating the 48-hour waiting period and requiring immediate firearm relinquishment, we’ll better protect our law enforcement officers and our communities. This revision to existing law closes a dangerous gap that puts lives at risk. I commend the House Judiciary Committee for their swift action on this legislation, and I strongly urge both chambers to act with the same sense of urgency this issue demands.”  

House Bill 12 makes two significant amendments to the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order (ERPO) Act. First, it eliminates ambiguity by explicitly authorizing police officers to file petitions. Second, it removes the current 48-hour waiting period for firearm relinquishment after an order is received, addressing concerns that this delay could create unnecessary risks and hamper effective response to potential dangers.