"Red flag" laws that allow for temporary gun violence restraining orders are gaining momentum in the U.S. following the deadly Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, which left 17 dead in February.
Florida has become the sixth state to pass a bill enabling family members and law enforcement officials to request a court order to restrict a person's access to firearms should they display warning signs of posing a danger to themselves or others, USA Today reported.
The legislation allows individuals and law enforcement officers to request a court order that could result in the seizure of a person's weapons for up to a year, provided they provide sufficient evidence of that person being a threat, The Washington Post reported.
"As we mourn those killed in Florida, our elected leaders need to take action to prevent gun violence, or we will elect new lawmakers," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown For Gun Safety. "Policies like Red Flag Laws empower families and law enforcement officials to keep communities safe. There is no excuse to delay these types of common-sense solutions."
A week after Florida signed the legislation, a Broward County judge issued the state's first order to temporarily remove four firearms and 267 rounds of ammunition from a 56-year-old Lighthouse Point man believed to be a potential risk to himself and others, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.
Now Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson have joined forces to encourage other states to pass these "red flag" laws in a bid to prevent violence.
"It's a step forward — albeit a small step — ultimately to what needs to be done," Nelson said last week, according to WHSV-TV.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.