PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday he will back laws designed to take guns from people who are threats — precisely what is in a bill that ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Democratic Rep. Randy Friese could not even get heard in the Republican-controlled Legislature.
In a Twitter post, the governor mentioned Nikolas Cruz, the teen who killed 17 students at a high school in Parkland, Florida a month ago.
“In the overwhelming majority of the deadliest mass shootings in the last 20 years, the shooter exhibited obvious signs of being a threat,†Ducey wrote. “Why not have laws and a process to restrict these individuals from possessing or obtaining guns?â€
The Republican governor, in a series of tweets, said he has been meeting with various groups on the issue of school safety. Among the things Ducey said he likes are increased mental and behavioral health resources at schools and cracking down on people who are not entitled to have weapons.
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Ducey also said he supports “enhanced background checks.â€
But the governor has been cool to legislation to close the “gun show loophole†that entitles people to sell weapons at such events without having to determine if the buyer is legally entitled to own a firearm, checks required when the weapon is sold by a federally licensed gun dealer. He signed legislation last year to prohibit any mandatory background checks on person-to-person sales.
Ducey said he also believes in “respecting Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans†while enforcing gun laws already on the books.
The proposal that appears to be modeled after Friese’s House Bill 2140, however, could mark a big change in philosophy for Ducey, who in more than three years in office has signed various laws designed to protect the rights of gun owners.
Friese’s bill would allow an immediate family member or police officer to seek a court order prohibiting someone from possessing a firearm.
Factors a judge would consider are whether the person suffers from mental illness or disorder, has threatened himself or someone else, was arrested on a charge of domestic violence, and recklessly used, displayed or brandished a firearm.
HB 2140 would also require evidence of whether the person acquired a firearm or other deadly weapon within the prior six months.
An injunction could last up to one year.
Gov. Doug Ducey
