Assault Weapons Ban Lacks Democratic Votes to Pass Senate

[Lurks Often]

65. THe NICS database already has provisions for the mentally ill

Anyone who has been deemed incompetent by a judge or committed to mental hospital involuntarily is SUPPOSED to be entered into the NICS system and prevented from buying a firearm.

I think putting something in place were a TEMPORARY hold is placed in NICS pending further medical review would be a good idea.

Perhaps a 30 or 60 day hold that automatically sunsets when the time expires, unless a judge authorizes an extension, with very strong provisions for review and strong penalties to prevent the process from being abused, along with immunity from lawsuits if the diagnosis was made in good faith and determined to be a reasonable presumption by a review board of judges and medical professionals.

The Virginia Tech shooter should have been flagged in NICS and prevented from buying a gun.

There were enough warning signs for the AZ & CO shooters that a temporary hold probably would have prevented those shooting.

I will be surprised, that when the final report comes out on the CT shooter, if we don't find out that there were warning signs that could have enabled a hold to be placed on him as well.