New Gun Law Targeted at Those With Mental Health Issues
We’ve been hearing this plenty late: “guns don’t kill people – people kill people.”
Florida has had more than its share of violent crimes using guns in recent years, so there has been more action to create laws that promote good actions. A NRA backed law was established several months ago that law prohibits people who are in some way diagnosed mentally ill from buying firearms, and NRA agreed that this law would be a benefit to more effective gun control.
The new statute specifically prohibits those who have voluntarily committed themselves to a mental institution or who are suspected as being an eminent danger to themselves or others. The FDLE stands with the NRA, and both are pleased with this new legislature, but in order to implement it, three major government agencies must come together to make it function correctly: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the DCF or the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Clerk of Courts.
The first thought was to have the FDLE and the AHCA, the Agency for Health Care Administration to come together because they are monetarily supported by the state, but after consideration, DCF is the agency that works closely with those who have been under the Baker Act, and they have a better insight into the mental health arena. DCF is available for any mental health situations, and there are at least 131 facilities across the state, DCF will supply better information.
The conception of this law is a step forward in gun control, but the implementation of the details has needed some attention since it was voted on. These three government agencies are lined up to bring everything into a system that will work.
The next step is getting professionals trained throughout Florida. This involves formalized training for employees involved in reporting mental health information.
There have already been two meetings to create the programs and supply the needed information, and the next is scheduled for October 28, 2013. When the necessary information has been distributed, then the law can be enforced properly, and Florida could become a safer place.
