Red-flag gun law attracts support after shootings

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, RFla., and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, a Broward-Palm Beach County Democrat, have been pushing for national legislation to advance so-called “red flag” laws in the states.

It’s the measure that has the most bipartisan support among lawmakers in the aftermath of the Aug. 3 and 4 mass shootings in El Paso and in Dayton.

Red-flag laws, formally known as “extreme risk protection orders,” allow the government to seize firearms of people deemed dangerous to themselves or others.

This week, Rubio said he asked the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to quickly take up the stalled national legislation to advance so called “red flag” laws in the states.

Other Florida lawmakers sought to advance gun-related proposals as the nation continued to debate causes of, and ways to prevent, mass shootings such as the weekend killings in El Paso and Dayton. Deutch said Congress should ban highcapacity gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

And state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, and state Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston, said they have filed legislation to expand Florida’s red-flag law, passed after the February 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland.

A total of 17 states have such laws.

Red flag laws have bipartisan support. Rubio introduced a Senate version in 2018, but no action was taken. He introduced it again in January, and the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on red flag laws in March.

Deutch, who represents Parkland, is sponsoring the House version.

President Donald Trump has support in the aftermath of the weekend massacres in El Paso and Dayton.

“President Trump should match his words with action and support our bipartisan plan to promote state-level extreme risk protection orders,” Deutch said in a statement.

“We can move quickly to pass this bill and empower more law enforcement agencies with life-saving tools to intervene when people may pose a threat to themselves or others. These policies have already saved lives in states across the country. What are we waiting for?” he asked.

One of the stumbling blocks is whether law enforcement should be able to seize weapons first and then get the action ratified by a judge, or whether court action should come before seizure.

Rubio said on Twitter that the Senate Judiciary Committee should take up the version he’s sponsoring. On Tuesday, he said he followed up with a letter to the leadership of the Judiciary Committee, which is controlled by the Senate Republicans.

“This bill remains a priority of mine, and acknowledges the very unfortunate truth that we exist in a world where others seek to do harm. Whether it be harm to themselves, or others, we owe it to our constituents to enact policies that allow for a legal avenue to remove firearms from those who require help,” Rubio wrote.

“The two horrific shootings that occurred this past weekend demonstrates why we must enact common sense reforms. Risk protection orders continue to have bipartisan support,” Rubio said, adding that neither Texas nor Ohio have such a law.

Florida’s current state red flag law allows only law enforcement officers to petition a court to get firearms removed. The BermanStark legislation would give mothers, fathers, grandparents, stepparents, siblings, spouses and guardians the authority to make the the court request.