President Biden recently signed into law a bipartisan bill that directs additional funding for mental health services, enhances background checks for gun buyers under age 21, closes a loophole that allowed some abusive romantic partners and exes to still buy guns, and provides funding for school safety and state-level “red flag” laws.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler did not vote for the bill. When I asked her why, she wrote in the email response “concerns were raised about whether the bill has sufficient guidelines to align state-based ‘red flag’ laws with due process protections outlined in the Constitution. Candidly, none of us in the House of Representatives had access to the bill text long enough to fully understand its impact, and when we’re voting on an issue that could deny a law-abiding citizen her constitutionally protected rights, that’s unacceptable.”
Seems lame to me. Here in Washington state we already have red flag laws and I have not noticed anyone’s constitutional rights being denied. And not having enough time to read the bill? Well, maybe she’s busy doing fundraising.
