Maine Gov. Janet Mills

In a recent news story, we mentioned Maine Gov. Janet Mills and her support for gun control, then mentioned a few bills that weren’t her proposals. We corrected that report for accuracy’s sake, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that Gov. Mills has indeed made several anti-gun proposals of her own this year. Given that fact, it is unclear of those currently proposed in Maine, which she may sign into law or veto if passed by the state House and Senate.

In her January 30 state-of-the-state address, Gov. Mills proposed several schemes that would infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners while likely not reducing violent crime or firearm deaths.

One example is Gov. Mills’ proposal to change the state’s “yellow-flag” law to a “red-flag” law. The governor claims the change would “close the gap” in the law by allowing law enforcement to seek the approval of a judge, in unusual circumstances, to take a person into protective custody. If then deemed dangerous by a medical practitioner and judge, law enforcement could remove their weapons, pending a full hearing before a court.

The proposal is a dangerous one, according to Laura Whitcomb, head of the organization Gun Owners of Maine.

“If you have your firearms removed from you under our current community protection order, or also known as the ‘yellow flag,’ they’re changing the amount of time that they have to give you a hearing from 14 days to 30 days, which is a long period of time,” Whitcomb said. “We’re finding that the issue isn’t necessarily with the way that our current law is written, but rather with the ability of law enforcement to enforce it, which is not a gun issue, that’s a funding issue. So, these lawmakers need to go back through and look at their budget and appropriately fund law enforcement in Maine.”

Another of the governor’s proposals would require any sale of a firearm that is advertised—through Facebook, Craigslist, Uncle Henry’s, a gun show or other means—to be checked against the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

“Gov. Mills seems to think, based on her address and her statements, that you can buy firearms on Facebook marketplace, which you cannot,” Whitcomb said. “So, what she’s trying to do is make it so that if you put forth any type of electronic ad or advertise on Craigslist—anything like that—you would have to seek a background check in order to transfer that firearm to another person. The other thing that it addresses is gun shows. FFLs at gun shows already do background checks, so that’s redundant. And I think it demonstrates an ignorance of the law when it comes to how gun shows actually work.”

Yet another of the governor’s proposals would make private sales of guns go through the NICS background check system. And it would change the wording of the current law from “willfully” or “knowingly” to adding the world “recklessly” when transferring firearms to a prohibited person.

“She says that it’s not ‘universal’ background checks, but now if you knowingly or intentionally transfer a firearm to a prohibited person in Maine it’s illegal,” Whitcomb said. “Well, they want to add the term ‘recklessly’ to that definition. Just like any other subjective word, a ‘reckless’ transfer of a firearm to somebody who is a gun-rights advocate might look very different to somebody like Sen. Carney, who is in the gun safety caucus. So, that term ‘recklessly’ is very problematic.”

Another part of that proposal would change the crime of ‘recklessly’ transferring a firearm to a prohibited person to a felony, rather than the misdemeanor charge it currently is.

“We don’t generally have an issue in Maine with people knowingly or intentionally transferring firearms to prohibited people,” Whitcomb said. “So, when you start changing things from misdemeanors to felonies, it’s just a solution in search of a problem.”

In the end, we made an error attributing a couple of anti-gun bills to Gov. Mills that she wasn’t directly involved with yet. However, have no doubt that she has plenty of anti-gun plans that she is not only involved with, but is actively promoting from her bully pulpit.

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20 COMMENTS

    • Hey bruh, xhe may look like DeSantis in drag, but it sure is ugly.
      Pushing off a low cliff is recommended.

  2. Another Marxist soc- ia list. (reposted in a form to avoid moderation, so lets see if this works)

    • .40 cal Booger,

      This website typically sends comments with the following words (in addition to many other words) to “moderation” limbo:

      soc- ia list
      pr0gr3$$ive
      at- tourney

      • It seems honesty is not popular with these people as will. I beat they support the speech of flag burning.

        leg@liz ati0n
        @theist
        h#m#sexu@l

        The 1st amendment died a very long time ago.

  3. The law is an insult to the intelligence of most gun owners and dumbbells and criminals are going to do what they do anyway. Unless the person receiving the firearm is known very well it’s a FFL transfer, you don’t part with a vehicle without getting your name off the title prior to delivery, firearms are on the same plane otherwise your assets may be up for grabs…and best not to include ammo with the sale, etc.

  4. “allowing law enforcement to seek the approval of a judge, in unusual circumstances, to take a person into protective custody“

    Many states already have this sort of thing on the books:

    “The Baker Act is a Florida-based law created to establish legal procedures surrounding the involuntary examination and treatment of individuals living with mental illness. This law helps prevent indiscriminate admission, ensuring individuals are only admitted to a mental health facility with just cause. The Baker Act encourages individuals to seek voluntary treatment. However, if any individual may harm themselves or others, this Florida statute allows involuntary intervention.

    While the Baker Act applies specifically to Florida, other states have similar involuntary commitment laws surrounding mental health concerns.”

    It’s unfortunate the authorities did not see fit to exercise this option for Nicholas Cruz.

  6. quote—————–The other thing that it addresses is gun shows. FFLs at gun shows already do background checks, so that’s redundant. And I think it demonstrates an ignorance of the law when it comes to how gun shows actually work.”———quote

    The above is a misleading statement.

    Maine law contains a dangerous loophole: If you buy a gun from a licensed gun dealer in a gun store, or a store that sells guns like LL Bean or Cabelas, you must undergo a background check as required by federal law to ensure that you may legally possess a gun. If, however, you buy a gun at one of the dozens of gun shows that take place around Maine every year, no background check is required. And if you purchase a gun from responding to an advertisement in a publication, like Maine’s own Uncle Henry’s, you also do not need a background check. Federal legislation passed in 2022 does not address this loophole.

    • If it is legal it is legal, not a loophole. Guns, like drugs will always be available for the criminals like your ss/antifa buddies.

      The trick is to make them just as easy for the decent folk to buy.

    • haha awesome.
      we had [burn loot murder] scrolled on the street in front of the high school. a simple thing to change it to olives. also, the big sign in front of the unitarian church,

  9. I believe red flag laws could be a good thing if they would not be abused. Would not be abused is the key.
    The domestic violence No GunmsforLife is an example.
    Somthing our leaders do not comprehend is that humans bent on destruction to not necessarily need a gunm.
    As I’ve mentioned before, I knew a person who was deemed mentally ill and could not legally own a gunm so he killed his roomate with a machete. Perhaps the red flag laws should encompass more then just firegunms. No hands or legs for you nutzoid. Oh wait you can still head butt someone to death. Okay, Fixed.

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