Some Kentucky judges limit domestic offenders access to guns

Victims’ rights advocates say MI lags behind some other states when it comes to laws meant to keep guns from domestic abusers.

In the past two years, more than a dozen states have passed similar laws to empower their local law enforcement agencies to enforce it. The bills have passed with support from both political parties in an era of heightened partisanship surrounding gun issues.

New Mexico lawmakers’ push this year to crack down on violent crime doesn’t include legislation that would strengthen laws to keep firearms from domestic abusers – despite recommendations from a state review team and a trend that has seen other states take such action.

Nationally, an average of 760 Americans were killed with guns annually by their spouses, ex-spouses and dating partners between 2006 and 2014, according to an analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation data by The Associated Press.

It marked a positive step forward in addressing domestic violence, but a formal system to ensure these people actually give up their firearms has not yet been implemented, said Jenn Oxborrow, executive director of the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition.

The victims were mostly women: Wives and girlfriends accounted for 32 of the 39 victims, the data shows.

Federal law already prohibits having a gun for people convicted of a domestic violence-related misdemeanor and those who are subject to permanent domestic violence protective orders.

Victims’ advocates say the law could be better. Today, more than 71 percent are from guns. “But most people are against gun violence”, she said.

“They should be encouraged and told that they need to take measures in order to protect themselves if they think there is a credible threat”, Vilos said. Another Lake County city, Hammond, had six domestic violence-related fatal shootings. The remaining 85 killings were spread throughout the state, with no other municipality reporting more than three such killings during the 9-year period.

“South Carolina is no longer thinking about the convenience of the abuser”, Haley said when she signed the bill in June.

Christie and a commission he created on gun purchasing and permitting the night before declaring his presidential run have cited last year’s killing of Carole Bowne in Berlin. The law contains a variety of provisions, including a licensing requirement for handgun purchasers to submit fingerprints to the state police in an effort to reduce the number of guns purchased by a friend or family member for someone who is not allowed to own a gun.