Baja California legislators propose off-duty firearm rights for police

The XXV Legislature of Baja California has approved a proposal to be sent to the Mexican Congress of the Union to allow members of public security and justice institutions to carry firearms for personal self-defense outside of their official duties.

Presented by Deputy Juan Manuel Molina García, the initiative seeks to reform the Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives. The proposal includes the creation of special individual licenses subject to strict requirements, such as continuous training and periodic evaluations. This move follows attacks against police officers in Baja California that have resulted in fatalities.

The initiative follows a previous attempt by the Baja California Congress to pass a local reform on this matter, which was subsequently invalidated by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) on the grounds that firearm legislation is a federal competency. The new proposal aims to address this by seeking federal-level changes that would apply to federal, state, municipal, and Mexico City security forces.