ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It was just three months ago when state lawmakers approved two new gun control bills, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed them into law.

On Wednesday, both of those new laws will go into effect across New Mexico. We’re talking about a ban on guns at polling places, and a mandatory seven-day waiting period for most gun sales.

Both bills faced a lot of criticism in the Roundhouse, and even more from everyday New Mexicans.

KOB 4 talked to one gun shop owner Tuesday who says it feels like they’re on their own with these new laws, especially the mandatory waiting period.

He says he’s reached out to the governor’s office and the Department of Public Safety, hoping to get some guidance on how to uphold the new law. But he says it’s been radio silence.

The first new gun law is a ban on guns at polling places. When it does come time to vote, you’ll have to leave your gun at home or in the car.

The new law restricts guns in and around all polling places, but there are exceptions for concealed carry holders and law enforcement.

People will notice that mandatory seven-day waiting period Wednesday. According to the new law, gun sellers are required to hold newly-purchased guns for seven days before handing them over to customers. But there are again exceptions for concealed carry holders, and sales between immediate family members.

The Democratic state lawmakers behind the law say the waiting period will allow for federally-required background checks to be fully completed. If they aren’t, gun sellers must hold those guns for up to 20 days, but there’s also an emotional component.

“It’s really about creating a space of time, so that someone that might have the impulse to commit suicide with a quick and easy method would have some time to think about it,” said state Rep. Art De La Cruz.

Arnold Gallegos knows his customers will have a lot of questions about the state’s new mandatory seven-day waiting period for gun sales, and he doesn’t have the answers.

“It doesn’t really list a whole lot of anything for us as retailers and what we’re supposed to do,” said Arnold Gallegos, owner of ABQ Guns. “It doesn’t even address who is allowed to do the transfer at all. So we’re kind of stuck in the dark.”

One of his biggest questions is how to measure seven days.

“New Mexico state law says that a day starts at midnight to midnight. Well, does that mean that if you come in at 6, at 9:30 in the morning, that that time doesn’t start till midnight, and we have to wait till midnight for the seven days?” Gallegos said. 

He says he’s taken that question and many others to the governor’s office and the Department of Public Safety.

“It’s radio silence on there, even on their web page, it says that we cannot discuss this,” said Gallegos. 

We did find a FAQ page on the Department of Public Safety’s website, but there’s not much more information than what’s already in the law. It says “don’t rely on it to comply with the new law.”

Gallegos says he’s figuring it out on his own.

“I’ve actually created a new form for us to track it, and we track the date and the time that it comes in. We track the date and the time when they get a proceed,” Gallegos said. “I may actually have to hire somebody else just to follow the tracking part of it.” 

He still has to store all those newly-purchased guns for seven days. 

“I’ve actually had to get rid of some of my guns that I, my long guns, I normally have here up on the wall that you see. Because I’m not going to have the storage room, even from my own inventory,” said Gallegos. 

Even with all his unanswered questions, Gallegos says his team is ready for Wednesday.

“We’ve already got a plan, we’ve already got a process we’re going through. So now let’s see how well it’s going to work,” said Gallegos.