'Red Flag' bill fails to move forward
UPDATE (5/07): The 'red flag' bill has failed to pass the state legislature. Our news partners in Denver, KCNC, reported the bill failed in a senate committee.
to read more.
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PREVIOUS STORY (5/04):
We are hearing from supporters who say a new bill could help curb suicide in our state.
House Bill 1436 says if you present a significant danger to yourself or others, your family or law enforcement can ask a judge to issue an extreme risk protection order. That would allow an officer to go to your home and take your guns away for seven days.
The head of the group 'Mental Health Colorado' said they hope this will help prevent suicide.
"To me this is not about gun control, it's about suicide prevention, and that's a cause a lot of Coloradans care about because we're losing about 1,100 people in this state each year to suicide -- more than half of them from a firearm," said Andrew Romanoff, President and CEO of Mental Health Colorado.
Nine other states have passed a 'Red Flag Law' like this one.
“This is not a new idea, nine states have passed a red flag law, and it seems to be working," said Romanoff. "In Connecticut for example, which has had a law like this on the books for twenty years, they found that for every ten guns removed, one suicide is prevented.”
Romanoff said many police chiefs and sheriff's support this bill.
“Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock has said, ‘If this law had been in place on New Year’s Day, Deputy Parrish himself might still be alive. It’s too late, we don’t know that for a fact, but we do know there are too many Coloradans losing their lives because of gun violence that might have been prevented.”
We'll let you know what happens with the bill.
to read more information about the bill.
for more information about Mental Health Colorado.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
