Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law on Friday that expands background checks, makes changes to the “yellow flag” law, and strengthens Maine’s mental health system in the wake of the Lewiston mass shooting.
Mills introduced the bill that aims to enhance public safety and strengthen the mental health system.
Mills says the legislation reflects conversations she had with people and organizations across Maine in the wake of the Lewiston tragedy in which she heard a common belief that:
gun violence prevention is important;
we must strengthen our mental health system; and
dangerous people should not have access to firearms.
According to Mills, the new law improves Maine’s extreme risk protection order law, expands checks against the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for advertised sales, and incentivizes checks for unadvertised sales.