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The city is suing the employer of two traveling magazine salesmen accused in the killings of a Northeast Heights couple.

Mayor Martin Chavez also said he will propose amendments to the city's solicitor ordinance that would make it more difficult for out-of-state businesses to fly under the radar.

The lawsuit accuses Integrity Program of Las Vegas, Nev., of not conducting background checks on the two men or otherwise doing an adequate job of ensuring they would not be a danger to the city.

The lawsuit seeks punitive damages against the company and a restraining order that would prevent the company from doing business in Albuquerque.

Tak Yi, 79, and his wife, Pung Yi, 69, were slain in their home Dec. 4.

Travis Rowley, 23, and Michael Lee, 21, traveling salesmen for the company, were arrested Dec. 11 in the deaths, and each is charged with two counts of murder.

The company has not returned phone calls or e-mails from The Tribune.

The mayor's changes to the ordinance would establish a "no-knock list," similar to the national do-not-call list that limits which phone numbers telemarketers may call.

Albuquerque residents could call 311, the city's information hot line, to place themselves on the list.

Solicitors who went to houses on the list, or houses with no-solicitation signs, would face a petty misdemeanor charge.

The ordinance would also requires stricter permits for solicitors. The sales teams' coordinators would have to apply for a permit at least 30 days before beginning work in the city.

The application would include the solicitors' coordinator's name, phone number and address — or, if the sales team is part of a corporation, the names of all officers and directors.

The current ordinance requires door-to-door solicitors to obtain a permit from the city before going knocking.

Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said the proposed amendments would be coupled with better enforcement.

If a solicitor went to a house on the no-knock list, the resident would be responsible for calling police. The police would respond to the neighborhood to try to round up any solicitors operating illegally, Schultz said.

The quickness of the response would depend on how aggressive the solicitors were, he said.

"If they're physically trying to get into the home, if they're sticking their foot in the door, that would be a bigger response," Schultz said.

The coordinator would also have to provide, written, sworn statements that all the sales team members had undergone background checks and would conduct business "lawfully, honestly and fairly without resort to duress, coercion or harassment."

Quick enforcement is critical, because traveling solicitors are often in town for only a few days.

"They come into town; they're knocking on doors; and they're usually gone before authorities have a chance to take action," Schultz said.

Because of sales teams' nomadic nature, it is difficult to tell how many come through Albuquerque, he said.

Charitable organizations such as church groups, political fund-raisers and Girl Scouts, as well as anyone under 17, would be exempt from the ordinance, city attorney Robert White said.