Notice for all Mainers.

https://www.facebook.com/events/378161465994199/

"Sen. Dion's so-called "Community Protection Order" bill, LD 1884, will have a public hearing before the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, April 3, at 1:00 PM in Room 438."

"This bill gives law enforcement, disgruntled former spouses or domestic partners, and even anyone who claims to ever have been a sexual partner, the power to ask a judge to order that all of your firearms be *immediately* confiscated by police without prior notice; the first you will know of the order will be when the police knock on your door to demand your guns."

"This bill has many problems, and is a close copy of bills that have been pressed by anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg in multiple states. Anti-gun forces sense an opportunity to pass this bill in the heat of the astroturf outrage they have fomented over the last few weeks. We cannot allow this dangerous bill to advance."

"We need you to show up in Augusta on April 3rd to be seen and make your voice heard before the Judiciary Committee. We need as many gun owners as possible to flood the State House and speak with one voice against this cynical, opportunistic and anti-due-process bill whose only real purpose is to tighten the noose around the throats of gun owners."

(please help spread the word on this and attend if you can)

Damnit!
I can't be there but have passed the word along in the downeast area.
I'll email our Rep, Will Tuell as well.
This would open up social media as prime fishing ground for any EX with a grudge to settle.
Similar to SWATing someone but only with the blessing of the courts.
Thanks for the heads up Bern..

any members go?

i rarely check the hometown forum and, unfortunately, am just seeing this now...

First I heard of it, anyone have anything to report?

What a pile of dog shit.

I didn't hear about it in time to be there, but the news had a story on indicating 20 or so folks spoke out against it in committee.  The radio played an interview with someone from Gun Owners of Maine who presented well.  There were also a few dozen Moms Demand Action people reportedly in the hall of flags before the hearing.

The sponsor of LD 1184, Senator Mark Dion, had an opinion piece in the Portland Press Herald today.

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/04/06/sen-dion-time-for-maine-to-enact-red-flag-law-for-public-safety/

Presently the bill is still sitting in the Judiciary Committee.  Their next work session on the bill is presently scheduled for April 12th at 1pm.

Here is a link where you can view the testimony that was submitted on this bill.  61 submitted testimony and likely more spoke at the hearing.  The ACLU opposes it, though they do so only because they say it discriminates against mentally ill people.  The committee may choose to offer an amendment to the bill on this point.  The Cheifs of Police Association supports it.  Mental health workers support it.  A bunch of high school kids apparently skipped school to testify in favor of it.  Link to Testimony.

With only a few weeks left in the session, things are going to move quickly on this bill.  I would suggest contacting members of the committee and telling them this bill "Ought Not To Pass."  That is the official jargon the committee would use to recommend that the full legislature kill the bill.  Please be polite.

The committee members are listed below.

Senator Lisa Keim (R-Oxford), Chair - [email protected]; (207) 562-6023

Senator Rodney L. Whittemore (R-Somerset) - [email protected]; (207) 474-6703

Senator Dawn Hill (D-York) - [email protected]; (207) 337-3689

Representative Matthew W. Moonen (D-Portland), Chair - [email protected]; (207) 332-7823

Representative Joyce McCreight (D-Harpswell) - [email protected]; (207) 449-3293

Representative Christopher W. Babbidge (D-Kennebunk) - [email protected]; (207) 229-4064

Representative Donna Bailey (D-Saco) - [email protected]; (207) 284-9962

Representative Barbara A. Cardone (D-Bangor) - [email protected]; (207) 356-7981

Representative Lois Galgay Reckitt (D-South Portland); [email protected]; (207) 712-2474

Representative Stacey K. Guerin (R-Glenburn) - [email protected]; (207) 249-0472

Representative Roger L. Sherman (R-Hodgdon) - [email protected]; (207) 532-8711

Representative Richard T. Bradstreet (R-Vassalboro) - [email protected]; (207) 861-1657

Representative Chris A. Johansen (R-Monticello) - [email protected]; (207) 538-2562

Judiciary Committee spent several hours working on this bill today.  It sounds like there will be some amendments, though it was unclear to me how it will turn out.  Janet Mills was there and pushing hard for the Committee to support this.

A divided report came out of the judiciary committee, with a slim majority of the committee recommending this bill "ought to pass" with one amendment and a substantial minority saying it "ought to pass" with a different amendment.  Haven't had a chance to digest either amendment, but this will likely be taken up in the full legislature in the next day or two.

Link to current text of Amendments.  Click the "amendments" tab at left if the link doesn't take you stright to it.  

"C-A" is the majority amendment.  "C-B" is the minority amendment.

Already contacted my reps and let them know my thoughts on this piece of crap bill.

Pretty much anything with Sara Gideon's name attached is going to be a turd

Kinda sounds like what happened to a guy down the road from me.  His gf at the time ran her mouth to the cops  that he was getting abusive, the cops show up at his door telling him to hand over his guns. He was able to let his dad take them to his house.   Idk the whole story there could of been alot more to it.

Either way this is going to hose alot of innocence people with vengeful exs etc.

Any new word on this bill?

The status of the bill is uncertain right now.  The legislature's statutory adjournment date came and went the other week and they had a bunch of bills that they didn't get to.  Right now the legislature is at home.  Before they left, they voted to carry over all of those bills until they come back.

They are scheduled to come back for one day (May 2nd) to address bills that the Governor vetoed.  They may or may not try to do more work on that day.  They will likely have to call a special session for a few days to get through the big pile of things they still have to address.

Today the Governor's veto was sustained in the legislature.  LD 1884 is dead.