Historic Progress on Gun Safety Measures in the recent Legislative Session
Background Checks: LD 2224 expands the requirements for Background Checks to advertised firearm sales and was signed by the Governor. See the Governor’s Press Release.
72 hour Waiting Period: LD 2238 requires a 72 hour waiting period to access a gun after purchase. The Governor allowed this bill to become law without her signature. Read her statement.
With respect to the other MGSC priorities for this past legislative session:
Bump Stocks: LD 2086 would have banned bump stocks and other rapid-fire conversion devices. The bill was approved in both the House and Senate but was vetoed by the Governor.
A true ERPO: LD 2283, a true Extreme Risk Protections Order, was not taken up by either the House or the Senate.
Law enforcement and healthcare professionals support all four of these measures.
Gun Give Back Day is Saturday, June 1st
10 am to 2 pm
Maine Gun Safety Coalition Foundation is partnering with local police and sheriff departments across the State to once more provide this opportunity for members of the public to turn in unwanted firearms and ammunition to local law enforcement. To date the following departments have signed up. Stay tuned for an updated list as more departments join us.
Falmouth
Cape Elizabeth
Portland
Brunswick
Skowhegan
Ellsworth
Pittsfield
Augusta
Your Engagement, Action and Support Made the Difference
Many of you shared deeply personal, emotional and tragic experiences.
Many of you testified, in Augusta or virtually, sometimes late into the evening, and many showed up numerous times.
Many of you wrote op-eds and letters to the editor supporting these gun safety measures.
Many of you contacted your Legislators, repeatedly.
Many of you made financial contributions to support our advocacy.
We will not rest. Our substantial progress these past few months has been due to our collective effort.
Next Steps
In many cases you may wish to contact your legislators by phone or email to say thank you for their support for these measures.
Write letters to the editor and op-eds to celebrate the work of the legislature. Many legislators stepped forward this legislative session.
Share what you have learned with your families and friends and urge them to become involved in promoting gun safety in Maine.
Continue to grow our Community Partnership in support of responsible gun safety laws in the State of Maine. We have met with health care providers, educators, students, faith communities and others and we are now more than 60 organizations strong. Contact us for more information.
Join our Show Up Network to stay informed.
And please, DONATE. We have tremendous momentum but this sustained effort costs money. Please join us.
And THANK YOU for your support.
Why a True ERPO is Necessary
LD 2224, which was approved and signed by the Governor, changes the yellow flag law to make it easier for law enforcement to take someone into protective custody but applies only to those with a mental illness and cannot be accessed by families. It is not enough.
Listen to Sargaent Colleen Adams of the Sanford Police Department explain why a yellow flag law is inadequate.
PART 1: Law enforcement officers are not trained to tell if an individual is mentally ill.
PART 2: The yellow flag law is too complex.
The Department of Justice has just launched the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center with up to date ERPO information. It also provides technical assistance and training. The press release can be found here.
What You Need to Know
Maine physicians call for meaningful change.
Maine Providers for Gun Safety rallied in Lewiston and have organized to send a strong message.
Do gun safety laws make a difference? Review a study. Stricter gun laws passed by 40 states from 1991 to 2016 reduced gun deaths by nearly 4,300 in 2016, or about 10 percent of the nationwide total. States with stricter laws, such as background checks and waiting periods, consistently had fewer gun deaths.
Red Flag? Yellow Flag? What is the difference? Watch and listen to interviews with Maine experts on on MSNBC, PBS NewsHour, and Maine Calling on Maine Public.
Status of current law:
Red flag laws have passed in 21 states.
High-capacity magazine bans have passed in 14 states.
Assault weapons bans have passed in 10 states and the District of Columbia.
Gun Violence is a Public Health Issue: Policy Solutions Can Save Lives. If you missed the live webinar event, co-hosted by Maine Public Health Association (MPHA), Maine Gun Safety Coalition, and New England Public Health Training Center, you can watch it here.
AR-15’s are destructive. The Washington Post has done two articles detailing just how much impact they have when fired. The first consists of visual images of the aftermath of mass shootings and the second describes the blast impact on a human body. Please note these images are very disturbing and the first shows blood and significant damage.
Portland saw a 300% increase in the number of people being struck by gunfire between 2021 and 2022.5
Suicides by Gun in Maine are Rising.
The Maine CDC reports deaths by suicide using a gun rose 19.7% in 2021 from the previous year. 89% of gun deaths in Maine are by suicide.
June 2023 Poll: Mainers Support Background Checks and 72 Hour Waiting Period
Pan Atlantic Research Poll
72% of Mainers want background checks say 76% of the Democrats and 67% of the Republicans polled. Support for Background Checks is nearly 3 times greater than opposition to it in the least favorable regions in the state, Downeast and Western Maine.
72% of Mainers want a 72 hr. waiting period between the purchase of a gun and its delivery. 91% of Democrats and 58% of Republicans are in favor of this measure. Support for Waiting Periods is more than 2.5 times greater than opposition to it in the least favorable region in the state, Central Maine.
National data shows support for evidenced based gun safety measures.
News
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Pediatricians Program Safe Storage Video
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition Foundation and Falmouth Maine Police Department developed this user/parent friendly safe storage video as part of our Pediatricians Program. The program provides information for pediatric health care providers to use to talk to the parents and guardians of their patients about the importance and how to’s of safe gun storage. MGSC was successful in lobbying the Legislature to pass Maine’s first safe storage legislation. Find the link to share the video here.
For more information, contact us.
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Community Speakers Program
MGSC can provide speakers for your community. We have knowledgeable experts on gun violence in Maine, current legislation, proposals being considered in Augusta, and how you and your community can get involved in making Maine safer. Most recently we have spoken with Bates College students, the Kittery Democrats. a Gun Safety Forum in Falmouth, and the Sagadahoc County Dems. Contact us for more information.
In addition, we want to hear your concerns—what bothers you most about firearm related issues in Maine? Contact Us
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Show Up Network
By joining our advocacy platform, the Show Up Network, we will keep you informed on proposed legislation and specific steps you can take to help us effectuate gun safety legislation. We can also send you updates about our programs. Please join us.
SUN members and its partners successfully lobbied the Legislature to enact several pieces of legislation in the 2021-2022 session including amending child endangerment statutes to include certain unauthorized access by a child to a loaded firearm, mandating the Maine CDC to provide annual report on firearm deaths and injuries across the state, and naming September Safe Homes Awareness Month.
