Legislature passes gun check bill

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:08:52 -0400

Legislation that would help keep guns away from those so mentally ill that they are considered to be a danger to themselves or others is on its way to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature.

The House today joined the Senate in unanimously approving the legislation, which requires court clerks to report to a national data base those who have been involuntarily committed by a judge to inpatient or outpatient treatment and determined to be "a danger to self or others," Dan Kane reports.

Attorney General Roy Cooper sought the legislation after an examination of the state's laws in the wake of the mass shootings at Virginia Tech last year that killed 32 students and faculty.

The gunman, student Seung-Hui Cho, had been involuntarily committed to outpatient treatment by a court order. But he was not listed on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, so he could purchase handguns. He killed himself after the shootings.

The review found a loophole in the law in that it did not require those who had been involuntarily committed from being reported to the data base, which is used to prevent gun purchases by individuals.

The legislation also creates a process for those who have been placed on the list to be later removed if found not to be a threat.

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Legislature passes gun check bill