‘Red flag’ gun seizure bills advance in Illinois, Massachusetts

By Chris Eger

The Illinois House approved a so-called “red flag” bill after brief debate on Wednesday. (Photo: Illinois GOP)
Legislation to allow the temporary seizure of firearms from those thought to be at risk to themselves or others moved forward Wednesday in both states.
The Illinois measure, HB 2354, was approved 80-32 with bipartisan support in the House, sending it to the state Senate for further review. Under its guidelines, law enforcement or the family of an individual could petition the court for a six-month ban on gun possession.
“It seems like every time we learn about a mass shooting, we learn after the fact that law enforcement officials or the shooter’s loved ones were concerned about the state of their mental health,” said state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, the bill’s sponsor. “Oftentimes, there was no recourse available to them to stop their dangerous future actions.”
The proposal would establish what would be termed a Lethal Violence Order of Protection that, if granted by the courts, could allow police to take a person’s guns as well as their Firearm Owner’s Identification card, needed to possess a firearm in Illinois.
While a number of House Republicans supported the measure, calling it a model for the country while protecting

Source: Guns.com