As Governors Join States for Gun Safety Coalition, Now is the Time to Pass State Red Flag Legislation

Last Thursday, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island announced the formation of a “States for Gun Safety” coalition. The goal of the coalition is to share information across state borders that would allow states to track and intercept illegal guns and provide law enforcement with more tools to stop violence before it happens.

Since the announcement of the coalition, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico have also joined. And this past Monday, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo demonstrated further gun safety action by signing an executive order that established a statewide Red Flag policy, which will make it possible for law enforcement to act on tips received from family members indicating warning signs from a person in crisis and educate the public on how to recognize these red flags.

The formation of States for Gun Safety is a positive step in states that already have a history of enacting responsible gun-sense legislation. A collective of states can also broaden the reach and impact of gun safety laws. But the majority of these states also have life-saving Red Flag legislation in their state legislatures waiting to be passed.

While Connecticut has had a Red Flag Law on the books since 1999, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island have yet to do so.

We applaud the governors’ leadership on preventing gun violence in their states and urge their states’ lawmakers to follow their example and immediately pass Red Flag legislation. Red Flag Laws are needed now more than ever to help prevent tragedies such as Parkland and save lives.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.