Four U.S. senators re-introduced the Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act last week. The act would give law enforcement the authority to prevent individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others the ability to purchase or possess firearms.
The act was first introduced in March 2018, following the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
Among other things, the act would create the Extreme Risk Protection Order Grant Program within the Department of Justice. States that enact qualifying laws eligible will be eligible for funding and will receive priority consideration for Bureau of Justice Assistance discretionary grants.
“A gun violence restraining order is one of the most effective policies we can put in place to prevent another tragedy like Parkland,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who co-sponsored the bill, said. “We can help keep our schools and communities safe by empowering law enforcement or family members to use the judicial system to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. This idea has already proven successful in states like Florida, and it is my hope that this bill will get other states to do the same thing.”
The bill’s other co-sponsors include Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), and Jack Reed (D-RI).