A bipartisan bill announced in the U.S. Senate on Thursday would enable law enforcers and family members to petition courts to temporarily restrict access to firearms for those who are deemed an imminent threat to themselves or others.
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said the bill would expand the use of extreme risk protection orders, which are also called “red flag” orders.
“When law enforcement has solid evidence that someone is in crisis — intensely and imminently a danger — there should be a process for protecting them and the public from the guns they possess or buy,” Blumenthal said. “The absence of any federal process to remove guns from such immediately dangerous individuals can have deadly consequences. Sen. Graham and I are working on bipartisan legislation to prevent tragedies from occurring by giving law enforcement the tools they need to keep guns out of dangerous hands.”
A number of states have “red flag” legislation on the books, including Indiana and Connecticut. Graham said he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about Indiana’s law earlier in the week.
“It seeks to balance the Second Amendment rights of the individual with concerns from law enforcement and family members about those who may be experiencing a mental health crisis,” Graham said. “Sen. Blumenthal and I disagree on many issues regarding the Second Amendment, but we strongly agree that restricting access to firearms from those who pose an imminent danger to themselves or others is a strong step forward in protecting public safety. Our government encourages our citizens that if you see something, say something. We also need ‘do something.’ Our goal is to have a system where we can get results which protect lives.”