House Committee OKs Bill on Gun Purchases

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A bill that would keep those found mentally ill by a court from purchasing a firearm flew through a House committee Monday.
The bill calls for the mentally ill to be placed on the state’s gun-buying background checks.
A week ago, the same bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Gary Cox, D-Kearns, was roundly criticized in a House committee. But Monday its passage by a voice vote was made easier by becoming part of the Republicans’ crime-fighting package.
Sen. Robert Montgomery, R-North Ogden, also has a measure dealing with liberalizing the tough standards a judge must use in ruling someone mentally ill. Republicans could amend his bill to include Cox’s background checks.
Cox’s bill was not opposed by the two major gun-rights groups — the National Rifle Association and the Utah Shooting Sports Council.
But others worried about constitutional rights spoke against it last week. Sarah Thompson of Utah Guns said hearsay evidence can be used in civil commitment proceedings, and she worried about a lifetime ban on gun-purchasing based on that kind of testimony.
Cox said his bill applies only to people under civil commitment and would not be a lifetime ban.
That could be a problem, said Rep. Blake Chard, R-Layton. The mentally ill woman who went on a shooting spree at the Triad Center last spring, killing a young mother, had previously been judged mentally ill.
But she was not under a court order at the time of the attack, as a judge ruled she didn’t pose an “immediate” threat to herself or others.
Montgomery’s bill would change the standard from “immediate” to “significant” danger.

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