Bill aims to address juvenile’s criminal records and potential gun ownership as adults
House Bill 25, introduced by Rep. Kathleen Cates, can help prevent repeat violence:
“A bill pre-filed for the 30-day session aims to address people who commit gun crimes as kids from owning firearms soon after as adults.
Kids who commit felony-level crimes serve their sentence. But with their juvenile records sealed, they are still able to own a gun as an adult. House Bill 25, introduced by Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties), looks to change that while also balancing both protecting juveniles and the community. “People are allowed to make mistakes in their life, and we want to protect juveniles. We want to make sure that they get second and third chances. We want to make sure they’re offered a pathway to start making better decisions,” said Rep. Cates.
If passed, it would make it illegal for kids who commit crimes with guns to have a gun within 10 years of their sentence. Juvenile records would remain sealed from the public, but their criminal history would be available to law enforcement and legal gun vendors. “It still allows juveniles to make better decisions once their sentence is served, and keep their records private. It’s just that if they continue this behavior into adulthood, we’re saying they cannot legally own or possess a gun,” said Rep. Cates.” More