Title
Authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings examining the development of an extreme risk protection order program within the City of Philadelphia, to allow for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals that pose a high risk of harm to themselves and others.
Body
WHEREAS, Firearm violence is a leading cause of death and injury in the United States, taking a tragic toll on American families and communities. The uptake in gun violence and mass shootings nationwide has forced state legislatures across the country to re-examine their laws in order to strengthen protections for citizens; and
WHEREAS, Convicted felons and domestic abusers are prohibited from possessing firearms, but loopholes in the law still make it difficult to keep guns out of the hands of people threatening violence against themselves or others; and
WHEREAS, Extreme risk protection orders, also known as gun violence restraining orders or gun violence protection orders, are state laws that work like domestic violence restraining orders; and
WHEREAS, Extreme risk protection orders would allow law enforcement, family members, and other concerned parties to petition a court to temporarily suspend a person's access to firearms if there is documented evidence that an individual is a threat to themselves or others; and
WHEREAS, If the order is granted, then the individual subject to the order must surrender their firearms to law enforcement and will not be able to buy, sell, or possess firearms at the judge's discretion; and
WHEREAS, Law enforcement and those who are closest to an individual are often in the best position to see the warning signs of violence. Almost half of mass shooters exhibit warning signs or concerning behavior before their crimes. By allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals that have threatened themselves or others, we will be equipped with the tools to prevent tragedy before it strikes; an...
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