"Red Flag" Gun Law (H 7688A as amended, S 2492A)

In the wake of the tragic shooting of students in Parkland, Florida, the General Assembly introduced so-called “Red Flag” legislation aimed at removing firearms via an “extreme risk protection order” (ERPO) from individuals who pose a “significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others.” While the ACLU lauds this effort to reduce gun violence, we had serious concerns about the bill's impact on basic due process rights. As well-intentioned as this legislation was as introduced, its breadth and its lenient standards for both applying for and granting an ERPO were cause for great concern, explained in detail in our 14-page analysis of the legislation. The House and Senate passed amended versions of the bills in May, taking a number of the ACLU's concerns into account, and Governor Raimondo signed them into law in June.