Panetta rolls out bill to help states keep guns out of hands of dangerous people

A BILL that would help states make sure the mentally ill and people convicted of felonies can't possess firearms was introduced by U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta and another House Democrat this week.

Called the Armed Prohibited Persons Act of 2018, the legislation would provide states with funds to develop databases that cross-reference gun owners with criminal, mental health and restraining order records so they can identify those who are barred from having firearms — such as felons and those who have been deemed "dangerously" mentally ill.

"It's a way to make sure that those who are public safety threats don't have guns," Panetta told The Pine Cone Thursday afternoon from his Washington D.C. office. The bill would also offer money to states, such as California, that already have similar programs in place.

The California Department of Justice routinely removes guns from people who are not allowed to own them as part of the Armed Prohibited Persons System, implemented in the state in 2001. "The Department of Justice has a team that goes through records of people who own guns, and if someone has been deemed mentally ill or is a felon, they will actually go out and try to track down that person and get those guns," Panetta explained.

The congressman said the bill, which he introduced with Napa Valley Rep. Mike Thompson, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, wouldn't do anything to limit law-abiding citizens' rights under the Second Amendment to own firearms for lawful purposes, such as hunting or self-defense.

"Instead, it will expand states' ability to remove firearms from those who are prohibited by law from possessing them," Panetta explained.

In a statement to the media, Thompson said the proposed bill would help "prevent gun violence." He also said California's existing law has already had results.

Taxpayer funds would be available to states which develop programs "with the goal of removing firearms from prohibited persons, provide assurances that an armed prohibited person will have a reasonable opportunity to lawfully dispose of their firearms before the state takes action to retrieve them," and "will contribute pertinent information to the National Criminal Instant Background Checks System," Panetta said.

If the legislation passes, it would be up to the House Committee on Appropriations to determine the cost.