The Legislature is hurling towards its adjournment deadline on April 17, but for our priority bills, it's the time to...wait. We're waiting for several gun safety bills to report out of committee and head to the chamber floors for votes. National Popular Vote (LD 1578) still needs to go through procedural votes for enactment in both the House and Senate. We're patient, though, and can wait for when the right time comes for each of these bills to cross the finish line.
Public Hearing: - New bill alert! LD 2283 — Extreme Risk Protection Order: This bill enacts the Crisis Intervention Order Act. It would permit family members to seek a court order to remove firearms if another family member is a risk to themselves or others. Twenty-one states, including Florida, Indiana, Colorado, Michigan, and other states with strong traditions of gun ownership, have ERPO laws. It has a public hearing scheduled for Friday, April 5 at 9:00 AM in the Judiciary Committee, and the League will testify in support.
Not reported out of committee:
The following bills are awaiting final action in the Judiciary Committee before they are reported out and sent to the House and Senate. - LD 2007 — Tribal sovereignty bill: This bill was pared down to mostly cover criminal jurisdictions and recognize the Penobscot Nation's authority to regulate their drinking water.
- LD 2086 — Banning bump stocks: This bill's amendment bans the sale of bump stocks and other devices that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic guns to the rate of fire of machine guns. The bill does not include banning assault weapons.
- LD 2224 — Governor's gun reform bill: This bill expands background checks for gun sales, adjusts Maine's extreme risk protection order (ERPO) laws, and establishes an Injury and Violence Prevention Program at the Maine CDC.
- LD 2238 — 72 waiting period: Those who purchase a new firearm have to wait 72 hours before they can receive it. This bill has a work session scheduled for in the Judiciary Committee.
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