Think Tank Announces Start of Outrageous New Mexico Law Contest

The New Mexico Outrageous Law Contest, organized by Rio Grand Foundation and the New Mexico Alliance for Legal Reform, seeks examples of New Mexico laws, local ordinances, and administrative rules and regulations that ought to be repealed. A total of $1,000 will be awarded for the best entries.

In New Mexico, the Pinon Nut Act (no tilde in the act name) makes it unlawful to label any product as “Pinons” including a wide variety of pine nuts unless the nuts are specifically from the pinus storbus parrya cembroides tree. Under the law, the New Mexico State University Board of Regents is responsible for enforcement of the act, thereby making them the official “Nut Police.” Maybe the New Mexico state question should be changed to: If you’re the Nut Police, where are your badges?

“The Outrageous Law Contest is undertaken with a sense of humor, but it highlights a very serious issue,” says Rio Grand Foundation President Paul Gessing. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness have been replaced with the constant tax increases, unreasonable regulations and the nanny state. Many of New Mexico’s laws reward bad behavior by shifting responsibility away from individuals and common sense and onto local businesses. These laws discourage the growth of the private sector that is so important
to New Mexico’s future.”

Outrageous laws and regulations are numerous and plentiful. No categories are off limits, but some particularly fruitful areas include:

• Humorous laws, rules, regulations, and laws
• Laws, rules, and regulations that demonstrate an infringement on freedom of
expression, association, religion or other personal freedoms.
• Laws and dubious public projects that exemplify a waste of taxpayer dollars.
• Laws and regulations that make it difficult to earn a living, create
employment opportunities, or operate a business.
• Unenforceable or routinely ignored laws and regulations.

Bernalillo County Sheriff, Darren White is the Honorary Chairman of the Outrageous Law Contest. Sheriff White has implemented several effective measures that have proven to be very unpopular with the “bad guys” including creating a web page which lists individuals with outstanding warrants in Bernalillo County as well as one which lists sex offenders who have ignored their statutory obligation to register. Under his leadership, the Sheriff’s Department has undertaken aggressive DWI enforcement operations, and has targeted fugitives from justice by holding regular warrant sweeps which have resulted in hundreds of arrests.

”When frivolous laws are on the books, it weakens public trust in the system,” says Sheriff White. “Law enforcement needs to be focused on protecting our citizens from real criminals.”

Sheriff White notes that entries must be New Mexico-based, coming from the state or its municipalities. “While there are probably a few hundred thousand federal laws that should also be repealed, only laws originating in New Mexico qualify for the contest.”

Outrageous Law Contest rules are at www.nmlawcontest.com. Entries can be submitted at: entry@nmlawcontest.com and are due by September 22, 2007, and winners will be announced on October 12, 2007.

Rio Grand Foundation website: www.riograndefoundation.org.
New Mexico Alliance for Legal Reform website: www.nmlegalreform.org.

Pinon Nut Act:
http://nmdaweb.nmsu.edu/weights-and-measures/w-m-hidden-folder/weights-and-measures-bonds-and-applications/pinonnutact.pdf