Impact of Current Law on Those With Mental Illness Discussed in Red Flag Bill Hearing

Mental illness and individual rights were part of the discussion of a proposed Emergency Response Protection Order law during an hours-long public hearing on April 5 in the Maine State Capitol. Hundreds of people submitted written statements both for and against the proposed law. Dozens more made the trek to Room 438 in the Maine State House to address the Judiciary Committee. Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) is the sponsor for LB2283, the “Crisis Intervention Order Act.” At the hearing, she said she had been approached about amending the bill to include dangerous weapons other than firearms. Ms. Ross said her bill, LB2283, isn’t meant to abolish Maine’s “Yellow Flag” law, which has been in place since 2019. She said the new law addresses what some consider inadequacies in the existing law....