Arizona congresswoman pushing bipartisan gun control bill
Oct 9, 2015, 10:33 AM
(AP Photo/Ryan Kang)
PHOENIX — An Arizona legislator has her sights set on passing bipartisan gun control.
Congresswoman Martha McSally introduced the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act. The freshman congresswoman said it is a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing gun violence.
“(The goal is) to address some of the root causes of challenges we are having treating and identifying those that are mentally ill and strengthening programs in our local communities that are helping people get the care that they need and also preventing violence,” McSally said.
One of the bill’s key components would be to reauthorize and strengthen the current background check system used when purchasing a firearm.
“It incentivizes state and local officials for providing information to the national background check system so that we can make sure that those that have been determined to be a prohibited possessor due to mental illness actually don’t get access to firearms,” she said.
The bill would also help communities and law enforcement respond better to a mental health crisis through specialized training and other resources.