A so-called “red flag” bill introduced in the Republican-dominated Ohio Senate would allow guns to be confiscated from people thought to be safety risks to themselves and others. Within two weeks of that seizure, a court would have to decide whether the person could get his or her gun back.
The bill, backed by Democratic Sens. Sandra Williams and Joe Schiavoni, who’s also running for governor, has the support of a major gun reform group. Maureen Washock with Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense says if Florida would have had a law like this on the books, the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland may have been avoided.
“Several people had raised red flags about the shooter in this incident.”
Dean Rieck with the Buckeye Firearms Association says his group is fine with taking guns away from dangerous people. But there must be due process first.
“It sounds like what they are saying is ‘let’s take someone’s rights away and then figure out if we did the right thing.”
Gov. John Kasich has suggested similar legislation, but many of his fellow Republican state lawmakers have raised questions about bills like this.
