BANGOR, Maine (AP) - Maine Sen. Susan Collins has joined a bipartisan group of colleagues that wants states to better enforce laws that prevent ineligible people from buying a gun.
Collins, a Republican, said Tuesday she is supporting the NICS Denial Notification Act, which she said would help states utilize the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. She said the proposal would require U.S. authorities to notify state and local enforcement within a day when an ineligible person lies on a background check and attempts to buy a gun.
Collins said Maine is among 37 states in which state law enforcement is not alerted when the ineligible people try to buy firearms. She said closing that gap would “would help stop dangerous people from obtaining guns illegally while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
The proposal was introduced by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.
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