Maine gun safety groups are celebrating after collecting 80,000 signatures to put a Red Flag Law on the ballot in November.
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition held a rally at the state capitol Thursday where the signatures were rolled in and presented in containers.
Supporters of the Red Flag Law say it can be effective in preventing gun violence while opponents argue Maine already has a law to seize firearms temporarily which has been used 550 times since the Lewiston mass shooting.
Maine now has a yellow flag law, the only state to have one, which is meant to prevent access to guns for people who could harm themselves or others.
It requires that people undergo a mental health evaluation to determine risk before a judge can order the temporary confiscation of weapons. The yellow flag law can only by invoked by police.
Red Flag laws, which more than 20 states currently have, give family or household members, in addition to law enforcement, the ability to petition a court to temporarily remove someone’s weapons
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows now has to validate the signatures collected by gun safety groups to get the Red Flag law before voters in a referendum in November.
The gun rights groups expect strong opposition from the NRA and other gun rights organizations.
