The Senate took up 5 bills that would put stricter gun laws in place and passed 4 of them.
gun laws
Bill to allow lawsuits against gun manufacturers narrowly advances to the Senate
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, cleared the House of Representatives last night by a 4-vote margin, with at least 6 Democrats joining Republicans in opposition.
Biden administration will require thousands more gun dealers to run background checks
The rule aims to close a loophole that has allowed tens of thousands of guns to be sold every year by unlicensed dealers who do not perform background checks. Gun rights groups are expected to fight it in court.
Washington County lagging behind rest of Maine in use of yellow flag law
A compilation of data by The Maine Monitor found that the county has filed just a single yellow flag order since the law passed nearly 4 years ago.
Physicians, gun owners, activists pack Maine State House for hearing on gun reform
Dozens of people testified for and against a pair of bills that include expanding background check requirements to advertised private firearms sales and a 72-hour waiting period on purchases.
Maine Democrats unveil gun safety and mental health bills. The partisan battles begin.
A 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases, a ban on bump stocks and a network of mental health crisis centers are among the measures Democratic leaders in the Legislature have proposed in response to the mass shooting in Lewiston.
Gun safety debate about to heat up in Maine State House
One bill to be unveiled Wednesday calls for a 72-hour waiting period on firearm purchases, a measure that has previously been defeated by the Democratic controlled Legislature.
Tensions rise as Legislature prepares to debate gun safety in wake of Lewiston shooting
A partisan fight over the hearing process for Gov. Janet Mills’ proposal to expand background checks on firearm sales and increase access to crisis mental health care suggests a bipartisan compromise may be elusive even after the mass shooting.
How did the Texas megachurch shooter buy a rifle despite her mental illness and criminal history?
Key questions remain about motive, and police have given no details about where and how she obtained the rifle in December.
Maine governor seeks to navigate treacherous terrain of gun reform
Gov. Janet Mills’ proposal to require background checks for some private firearm sales gives new momentum to an idea that has been defeated multiple times. But political analysts say proponents still will have to overcome Maine’s tradition of hunting and gun ownership.