Medical Society Drops Support for Trigger Locks

New Mexico legislature passed a bill requiring trigger locks sold with all handguns, however the Medical society's position is a real sea change.

http://www.abqjournal.com/news/277310news03-15-01.htm
Thursday, March 15, 2001


By S.U. Mahesh
Journal Capitol Bureau

SANTA FE - The New Mexico Medical Society has backed off its previous endorsement of legislation to require child safety locks on all firearms sold by licensed gun dealers in the state.

The society's five-member executive committee voted last week to take a neutral stand on the bill, with two members of the five wanting to support the bill, according to Dr. Barbara McAneny, president of the society.

In January 1999, the medical society, representing about 2,700 New Mexico doctors, supported another child safety-lock measure.

"I am aware that a lot of physician groups are upset over this," said Bill Jordan, deputy director for New Mexico Advocates for Children and Families. "Why would the medical society take a position that trigger locks are not good for children?"

The Senate bill pending this year has been endorsed by the New Mexico Pediatric Society, the New Mexico Public Health Association and the New Mexico Nurses Association.

Jordan's group has been lobbying the Legislature to pass the child safety-lock bill, along with another measure that would make it a crime for handgun owners to knowingly allow children to gain access to their weapons.

The Senate has passed the trigger-lock bill, sponsored by Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, on a 20-17 vote. The bill was pending in the House on Wednesday.

Also pending in the House is a similar trigger-lock proposal sponsored by Rep. Patsy Trujillo Knauer, D-Santa Fe.

Dr. Allan Haynes Jr., president-elect of the New Mexico Medical Society, said Wednesday that the society's 32-member leadership council endorsed the trigger-lock bill in January 1999, but many members disagreed with the position.

"Personally, I don't think it's a bad idea, but we cannot in good conscience say the house of delegates supports this," Haynes said.

Randy Marshall, executive director for the Medical Society, said the delegates supported educating handgun owners on safety issues.

Sen. Steve Komadina, R-Corrales, who is the vice president of the New Mexico Medical Society, said the trigger-lock measure "is not the solution to the problem."

Komadina, who voted against the Feldman bill, stressed that he does not own any guns and is not a member of the National Rifle Association. He also emphasized that he was not speaking on behalf of the Medical Society.

"I don't think it's in the best interest of New Mexicans to pass laws which don't make citizens safe," Komadina said in an interview. "I don't think trigger locks protect people."

Komadina said trigger locks would not force irresponsible handgun owners to safeguard their weapons from children. It could only penalize responsible gun owners, he said.

The Feldman bill, Komadina said, also "gives a false sense of security" because guns with trigger locks could still fire.

Dr. David Sklar, chairman of emergency medicine at the University of New Mexico Hospital, said he was surprised the New Mexico Medical Society did not endorse the trigger-lock bill.

Sklar, a member of the medical society, said emergency physicians across New Mexico support the legislation.


Copyright 2001 Albuquerque Journal