Governor Janet Mills signed legislation on Friday in response to the Lewiston mass shootings in October. The bill expands background checks for advertised sales of firearms and makes it a felony to sell a firearm to someone prohibited from having one. Additionally, it allows law enforcement to seek a protective custody warrant directly from a judge and remove weapons if there is a risk of harm.
The new law also establishes an Office of Violence Prevention at the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It allocates funds for crisis receiving centers in Lewiston, Penobscot County, and Aroostook County. Governor Mills emphasized that violence is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, and the measures in this law are not extreme or unusual.
Two other gun-related bills are still pending action by Governor Mills. These include a 72-hour waiting period between the purchase and pick up of a firearm, as well as a ban on bump stocks that modify weapons to shoot more bullets more quickly. These measures are part of a comprehensive effort to address gun violence and improve mental health services in the state.