In response to the op-ed “Supreme Court gives Pa. way to stop domestic violence killings” (June 29, TribLive) — I couldn’t agree more wholeheartedly.
I’m the mother of a 12- and a 10-year-old, and I worry every day about their safety at school. Every parent remembers where they were when they heard about the atrocity in Uvalde, or Sandy Hook, or even as far back as Columbine. It’s my worst nightmare.
It’s shameful that the Pennsylvania Senate has taken zero action on bipartisan, life-saving legislation that the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed over a year ago to address this threat. House Bill 1018 would temporarily restrict access to firearms when a court finds someone to be an immediate risk to themselves or others. It’s called an extreme risk protection order (ERPO), commonly known as a “red flag law.”
But school shootings are preventable. In all of those cases and more, the shooters gave some kind of warning sign — a “red flag” that could’ve been the basis for removing their guns through a civil court proceeding, before they massacred sweet children and teachers.
My state representative, Valerie Gaydos, voted against the bill last year. And my state senator, Devlin Robinson, has refused to support it or push Senate leadership for a vote. Both are up for reelection in November. Both have failed to keep us safe and must do better.
Jen Suehr
Moon