Since Parkland, Republican Governors Have Signed Red Flag Legislation in Three States, and Eight States Now Have These Policies
Red Flag Laws Can Save Lives by Creating a Way for Family Members and Law Enforcement to Act Before Warning Signs Escalate into Tragedies; Red Flag Laws Play a Critical Role in Reducing Suicides
NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown, released the following statement today applauding Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Fred Upton (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), for introducing the bipartisan Jake Laird Act of 2018 (H.R. 5717). This legislation provides federal funding for states that pass Red Flag Laws.
Red Flag Laws empower family members or law enforcement to seek a court order that temporarily blocks a person from having guns when they pose a serious danger to self or others. Since the Parkland tragedy, Florida, Vermont and Maryland have all enacted these laws with bipartisan support, and eight states now have these policies. Like many mass shooters, the 19-year-old suspected of shooting and killing 17 people and injuring 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, displayed warning signs prior to the shooting.
In addition to helping prevent mass shootings, Red Flag laws can help prevent suicide: A 2017 study of Connecticut’s Red Flag law found that the law has already averted an estimated 72 suicides. Reducing a suicidal person’s access to firearms can save their life.
More information about Red Flag laws is available here.
STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:
“So many shootings are slow-motion tragedies–a long trail of warning signs leading up to one terrible moment. I applaud the lawmakers behind this bill for supporting the growing list of states that have enacted Red Flag laws, which provide family members and law enforcement with the tools they need to step in before it’s too late.”
