AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A bill that would overhaul the state’s concealed handgun permit system has failed in the Maine House.
The Democratic-led House voted 87-58 in favor of overturning Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the bill on Thursday. It fell 10 votes shy of the two-thirds support it needed to override the governor’s rejection, killing the bill.
LePage opposed the bill because he said it’s more difficult for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns.
The bill would limit municipalities’ ability to issue permits to only those with full-time police chiefs. It would also ensure that state police manage all background and mental health checks and create a confidential centralized database of permit holders.
Supporters say the current system is broken and that some mental health and background checks aren’t being done adequately.
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