Maine Lawmakers Considering ‘Red Flag’ Bill

Gun control advocates are teaming up with law enforcement officials and medical professionals for a press conference in Augusta today March 3rd, urging lawmakers to pass a "Red Flag Bill" this season. This bill would create a new court order which would restrict dangerous individuals from having access to firearms whether they are viewed as dangerous to themselves, or others. According to a new study, one Maine resident dies by gun suicide every three days and suicide by gun accounts for nearly 90 percent of all firearm fatalities, killing over 600 Maine residents in the last five years.

The Bill creates an extreme risk for one person to turn in all firearms for anywhere from 14 days to one year when it is proved that they could be a genuine danger.

A petition may be filed for a temporary extreme risk protection order, which may be granted if the court finds probable cause exists to issue the order.

The court is required to hold a hearing within 14 days to determine whether the person poses a danger of causing personal injury to that person or another person.

You can see all the details of the potential bill, here