Today, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Senior Advisor to the President and White House Intergovernmental Affairs Director, Stefanie Feldman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Domestic Policy Advisor, and Rosie Hidalgo, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor on Gender-Based Violence, convened a meeting with state legislative leaders on Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws. Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws – also referred to as “red flag” laws – allow family members, law enforcement, or other responsible individuals to petition for a court order temporarily barring people in crisis from accessing firearms if they present a danger to themselves or others. This meeting follows a convening White House leaders hosted on ERPO legislation in August 2022, as well as a meeting with Attorneys General in 2021 on this issue.
Last year, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in more than 30 years. The law includes $750 million for states to implement crisis interventions such as ERPOs, fulfilling the President’s repeated call for this funding. Last week, the Department of Justice announced an investment of over $231 million through 49 grant awards to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to fund the creation and implementation of ERPO programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives.
While 19 states currently have ERPO laws in place, several other states are considering ERPO legislation this session, including Michigan and Minnesota. Many states across the country are also seeking to strengthen and expand their existing ERPO laws, such as Colorado, Vermont, and Florida.
During the meeting, legislative leaders discussed the critical importance of ERPO legislation to improve the safety of their communities, as well as best practices for implementation of these laws. Senior White House officials thanked the legislators for their leadership and reaffirmed the Administration’s partnership in supporting the passage and implementation of ERPO laws.
State legislative leaders attending today’s meeting included:
Colorado State Representative Mike WeissmanFlorida State Senator Lori BermanIllinois State Representative Maura HirschauerMichigan State Representative Kelly BreenMichigan State Representative Ranjeev PuriMichigan State Senator Rosemary Bayer
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