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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 23 February 2019

Colorado ‘red flag’ gun bill passes first hearing

By JAMES ANDERSON the situation and make our
Associated Press communities — and our of-
DENVER (AP) — Colorado ficers — safer.”
Democrats launched an- John Walsh, a former U.S.
other campaign Thursday attorney for Colorado, in-
to pass a “red flag” gun sisted the legislation pro-
law — an effort backed by tects the rights of gun own-
many top law enforcement ers to due process and that
officials to allow weapons courts in other states have
to be seized from people upheld similar laws.
who are determined by a House Minority Leader Pat-
court to pose significant rick Neville, a survivor of
risk. the 1999 Columbine High
Florida passed its own “red School massacre, says the
flag” law after the February bill would discourage citi-
2017 Parkland school mas- zens from seeking help be-
sacre, and 12 other states cause of the “stigma” as-
have done so. Colorado sociated with mental illness.
Republicans defeated a “No one should feel they
similar bill last year, insisting have to choose between
it infringed on citizens’ Sec- their guns and getting the
ond Amendment rights. But help they need,” Neville
Democrats won both state- said in a statement.
house chambers in Novem- Colorado Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Aurora, who lost his son in the 2012 mass shooting at a movie “I’m saddened that our
ber, and Democratic Gov. theatre in Aurora, Colo., waits to speak during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee beautiful state is moving
Jared Polis called for a “red on a bill to get a “red flag” gun law on the books in Colorado Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, in Denver. away from due process,”
flag” law while campaign- Associated Press said John Anderson, a re-
ing last year. 364 days. livan. lost a deputy in a New tired commander of the
The House Judiciary Com- The bill also would leave Sullivan’s son, Alex, was Year’s Eve 2017 shooting Castle Rock Police Depart-
mittee voted 7-4 along it up to the person whose killed while celebrating his by a suspect who was ex- ment and 20-year veteran
party lines late Thursday to guns were seized to prove 27th birthday in the 2012 hibiting increasingly erratic of SWAT teams. The bill, he
send this year’s bill to the at any point that he or she Aurora movie theater behavior. The bill is named said, presumes that “the
chamber’s appropriations no longer poses a risk. That shooting. after the deputy, Zachari accused is guilty until prov-
committee. The vote came person would be entitled to “Watching your child’s Parrish. en innocent” and will cre-
after more than eight hours legal counsel. body drop into the ground Boulder County Sheriff Joe ate dangerous situations
of testimony for and against “This is the first step to move is as bad as it gets,” Sullivan Pelle also supported the when officers try to confis-
the bill. forward on a solution that told a news conference bill. His son was wounded in cate firearms.
The legislation would allow is geared at trying to help last week. “And I’m going the shooting that killed Par- “You have now singled
family or law enforcement people in crisis and con- to do everything I can to rish. out one class of citizens in
to seek a court order to front the epidemic of gun make sure that none of you “This is an issue that comes Colorado, and that is gun
have guns seized if they be- violence that’s had a sig- have to do that.” up constantly. We know owners. And you will be
lieve the owner is a threat. nificant impact on the state A number of law enforce- who these folks are,” Pelle challenged in court,” said
If approved, a subsequent of Colorado,” said House ment officials supported testified. “We absolute- Dudley Brown, executive
court hearing would be Majority Leader Alec Gar- the effort, including Tony ly know when and how director of the advocacy
held to determine whether nett, a co-sponsor along Spurlock, sheriff of subur- the time is right to use the group Rocky Mountain
to extend the seizure, up to with first-term Rep. Tom Sul- ban Douglas County, who courts to help us relieve Gun Owners.q

New controls in Maine to prevent poaching of valuable eels

By PATRICK WHITTLE two weeks early after in- the package is not tam-
Associated Press vestigators unearthed con- pered with and elvers ille-
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — cerns about illegal sales. gally harvested will not end
Maine’s lucrative baby This year, the Maine De- up in those shipments,” said
eel industry will likely face partment of Marine Re- Jeff Nichols, a spokesman
tighter controls this year sources is looking to add a for the marine resources
designed to thwart poach- requirement that elver ex- department. The state’s
ing, as officials consider re- porters in the state must no- elver fishery is already
quiring state law enforce- tify the Maine Marine Patrol tracked using a swipe-card
ment officers to oversee 48 hours before preparing system, and that system will
the packing and shipping to pack and ship the eels. stay in place, Nichols said.
of the wriggling critters. The officer will witness the The swipe card system is
Baby eels, called elvers, weighing and packing of designed to record the
are an important part of the elvers and then mark weight and value of every
the worldwide supply chain the package with a seal sale so the state can make
for Japanese food. Maine In this May 25, 2017 file photo, elver fishermen set up a net on that must remain intact sure no one exceeds quo-
fishermen harvest them the Penobscot River in Brewer, Maine. and untampered with until ta. The fishery also has a
from rivers and streams Associated Press the eels reach their desti- tight quota of 9,688 pounds
every spring, and they are kilogram). No other U.S. has dogged the industry. nation. (4,394 kilograms) for all of
typically worth more than state has a significant el- Last year’s season was shut “That is a way to secure the the fishermen who partici-
$1,000 per pound (half- ver fishery. But poaching down by state regulators shipment and ensure that pate. q