Evers, Wisconsin Democrats introduce red-flag law (UPDATE)

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Gov. Tony Evers, Attorney General Josh Kaul and two Wisconsin Democrats and trying to curtail suicides and gun violence with their proposed adoption of a red-flag law.

Evers; Kaul; state Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison; and state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee; announced a new bill Sept. 19 that would establish a process for extreme-risk protection orders.

Such a process, also known as a red-flag law, would give families and law enforcement an opportunity to petition for the temporary removal of firearms if someone is at risk of harming themselves or others.

If a judge grants firearm removal under the proposed process, a court would issue a temporary restraining order and an injunction effective for up to a year. The injunction could be extended by petition after that. Under current law, anyone with a domestic-abuse or child-abuse injunction must give up all firearms and can’t legally buy or possess a gun.

The proposed bill’s full text is available here.

Seventeen other states and Washington, D.C., have adopted similar laws.