Supporters say the bill would provide an important path forward for families seeking to restrict a loved one’s access to firearms without stigmatizing mental illness, while opponents raise concerns about due process and Second Amendment rights.
gun violence
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Committee backs expanded background checks, waiting period for gun purchases
The Judiciary Committee also will soon take up a last-minute bill that would put in place ‘an improved crisis intervention order’ for restricting access to firearms when people are deemed to be a threat.
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Posted inLocal & State
Lewiston victims, law enforcement see a lot riding on investigators’ full report on mass shooting
The interim findings of the state-appointed panel focused largely on ‘abdication of law enforcement’s duty,’ but preventing future killings will require more than laying blame.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Divided committee supports study of program to voluntarily waive gun rights
The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee tabled three other gun-related bills during a work session Thursday and will take them up again at a later date.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Maine Democrats meet privately with ATF official as advocates work to build support for gun reforms
Democratic lawmakers meet in private with a federal firearms regulator to discuss existing rules in preparation for a key committee meeting Thursday. Republicans criticize the move, pass up an offer to do the same and say the discussions should have been public.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Maine Republicans use interim mass shooting report to argue against gun reforms
They point to the state commission’s finding that faulted the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office for not using existing laws to seize guns from the shooter before he killed 18 people in Lewiston.
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Focus on the path ahead to reduce gun violence in Maine
It will take all of us working together and listening compassionately to chart a path forward.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Four months after Lewiston mass shooting, pressure builds for long-sought gun safety reforms
But Maine defenders of traditional gun rights also turned out in force at last week’s hearings, and it’s unclear if the support to enact changes will be sustained.
Posted inNation & World, Schools and Education
School shootings prompt more states to fund digital maps for first responders
Spurred by mass shootings, thousands of school districts have hired companies to produce detailed digital maps that can help police, firefighters and medical professionals respond more quickly in emergencies.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime, News
Judge orders neuropsychological testing for man accused of killing Westbrook couple
Marcel LaGrange, 25, entered an insanity plea last summer after he was charged with shooting Brittney Cockrell and Michael Hayter in front of their children.