Mass. legislators pushing for 'red flag' gun laws

BOSTON -- A bill first proposed last year at the Massachusetts State House is getting a second look following the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Massachusetts Rep. David Linksy (D - Natick), a former prosecutor, wrote House Bill H3081 and Rep. Marjorie C. Decker (D - Cambridge) has filed a similar bill.

Linsky's bill would allow a family member, prosecutor, police officer or health provider to petition a judge for an extreme risk protection order.

The order would give authorities the power to remove guns from anyone believed to be a danger to themselves or others. The initial seizure would last ten days and during that time the gun owner would be allowed to petition the court to get their guns back.

It is known as “red flag” legislation and more than a dozen states, including Florida, are considering it. Five states already have a “red flag” laws on the books including Connecticut and California.

A rare book dealer from Gloucester named Greg Gibson lost his son Galen in the December, 1992 school shooting at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

“I don’t know for a fact if it would have saved my son,” Gibson said. “But I know for a fact if people knew such a law was around, they knew that this crazy kid was walking around with a gun and ammunition, they would have another tool for trying to prevent it.”

Gibson, who authored the book Gone Boy and is a member of the gun control group Everytown, supports the legislation.

But gun rights activist Jim Wallace called the legislation “cruel and dangerous.”

Wallace, executive director of the Massachusetts' Gun Owners Action League, says it's especially dangerous to people who might be dealing with what he called a temporary crisis.

According to Wallace, Massachusetts police chiefs already have the authority to seize firearms from anybody at any time.

Linsky and Decker’s bills are currently being studied by legislative committees.

MORE: Boston Mayor, police officials join Sen. Markey for federal gun legislation

Cox Media Group