Someone making violent threats, or showing signs of mental instability, could have their firearms confiscated under a bill being debated in the California legislature.
The bill was prompted by the shooting spree earlier this year in Isla Vista, near Santa Barbara, which took the lives of seven people, including the shooter.
Democratic Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner says her bill would empower families who notice disturbing behavior in a loved one.
“The family member could get the gun violence restraining order, which could prevent them temporarily from either possessing or owning a weapon,” she says.
Critics of the bill say it could lead to situations in which people lose their gun owning rights based on hearsay.
“There’s been no medical determination,” says Craig De Luz with the Calguns Foundation.
“There’s been no psychological determination. There’s simply been an accusation.
Similar laws exist in Texas, Connecticut and Indiana.
The bill is out of the Assembly. It’s now awaiting action in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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