HONOLULU – The Hawaii chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the Governor David Ige for signing Red Flag legislation into law. This legislation would create a process for petitioning the court for a Gun Violence Protective Order, enabling people such as family members and law enforcement to seek a court order temporarily removing guns from a person in crisis. Red Flag laws can help save lives by creating a way to act before warning signs escalate into tragedies.
“Today’s signing cements Hawaii as a leader in gun violence prevention,” said Carolyn Pearl, a volunteer with the Hawaii chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “The list of states with strong Red Flag laws continues to grow — and with good reason. This law will make it easier to prevent tragedy before it strikes, and we’re so grateful to Governor Ige and all the gun sense champions in the legislature for their dedication to keeping Hawaii families safe.”
Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, also known as Red Flag laws, gained traction in the wake of the Parkland shooting, where 14 students and three staff members were shot and killed. As a result of today’s signing, 17 states and the District of Columbia have enacted Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation. Red Flag laws have been shown to be especially effective in reducing the risk of firearm suicide by temporarily removing guns from dangerous situations.
