Governor Signs Extreme Risk Protection Order Bill

The Governor, joined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Linda Beigel Schulman the mother of a Parkland shooting victim, held a ceremony for the signing of a bill that will allow for the issuance, by a court, of extreme risk protection orders for those considered to be a danger to themselves or others. The new law will allow law enforcement, family members, teachers, school administrators, and other school officials to petition a court to issue an order of protection prohibiting a person from purchasing, possessing or attempting to purchase or possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun. If an order is issued based on the findings of the court, temporary confiscation of firearms is permitted. Proponents of the bill claim this will help prevent future tragedies like the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, while pro 2^nd amendment groups complain that the bill lacks due process.

Governor Cuomo said:

“Today New York is proud to pass the first-in-the-nation Red Flag Bill that empowers school teachers to do something when they believe something bad is going to happen. We are empowering teachers not by giving them guns like the President wants – but by arming and empowering them with the law, so when a teacher or family member sees there is a problem, they can go to a judge and get a court-ordered evaluation. The Red Flag Bill will save lives and doesn’t infringe on anybody’s rights and it is common sense.”