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Giffords Applauds Massachusetts Senate for Passing Bill to Remove Guns from Dangerous People

June 7, 2018 — Today, Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, applauded the passage of H 4517, a bill in Massachusetts that would establish a process for obtaining an Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) that temporarily prohibits an individual who is a danger to themselves or others from possessing a firearm.

The Massachusetts Senate moved the state one-step to ensure the safety for families from struggling loved ones who’ve gotten their hands on a gun,” said Nico Bocour, State Legislative Director of Giffords. “The Extreme Risk Protection Order is a critical tool that helps law enforcement to assist individuals who may pose a danger to themselves and those around them. We applaud Representative David Linsky and Representative Marjorie Decker for their leadership on this bill and the Senate’s actions on this issue, and we look forward to seeing this bill signed into law.”

Massachusetts joins other states that have passed these types of bills backed by Giffords, and becomes the sixth state to pass the legislation since the horrific shooting in Parkland, Florida. New York and Delaware are also among the states currently considering ERPO-style bills, and New Jersey is expected to pass an ERPO bill today.

About the Extreme Risk Protective Order

The Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) is a civil court order issued by a judge upon consideration of evidence provided by a family member or law enforcement officer that temporarily prohibits a person in crisis from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition. A common thread in many shootings is that family members of the shooters had noticed their loved ones engaging in dangerous behaviors and were concerned about their risk of harming themselves or others – even before any violence occurred.

  • An ERPO creates a mechanism for families and law enforcement to temporarily prevent access to guns by individuals who pose an elevated risk of endangering themselves or others. This law can save lives while ensuring critical legal protections for respondents, just as it has in states that have already taken this responsible step.
  • The ERPO is based on the long-standing domestic violence protection orders (in place in all 50 states) and involves both a court hearing and clearly defined due process protections. Qualifying petitioners would be able to petition the civil court in their jurisdiction for an ERPO based on evidence they present through a written application and at a hearing before a judge.
  • The ERPO gives individuals an opportunity to present evidence to show they are not a danger to themselves or others. If a court issues a ERPO, respondents would still be able to petition once for termination of the order and be eligible to have their firearms and ammunition returned upon expiration of the order.
  • States with ERPO laws have seen positive results and are saving lives. California enacted this life-saving law in 2014, and Washington voters overwhelmingly passed it in November 2016. Connecticut and Indiana have similar versions that allow law enforcement officers to intervene when people are in crisis and have easy access to guns. These laws are effective. For instance, researchers have estimated that by temporarily removing weapons from 762 at-risk individuals, Connecticut’s law had  averted up to 100 fatalities  from suicide alone. In addition,  nearly one third of respondents  received critical mental health and substance abuse treatment as a result of the intervention.
  • The ERPO is a particularly important tool to help prevent suicides. Those in a suicidal crisis are much more likely to survive if they do not have easy access to firearms for the duration of the crisis.  Research  shows that people are more likely to die by suicide if they have easy access to firearms.  Eighty-five percent  of suicide attempts involving firearms are fatal.  Nine out of 10 people  who survive a suicide attempt do not die by suicide at a later date. These facts demonstrate that the ERPO, which can prevent suicidal individuals from accessing guns during a crisis, will likely save lives.

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