Please urge Governor Northam to add necessary due process amendments to the Red Flag bill, HB 674. I question whether such bills can ever truly satisfy the “due process” guarantees in our Constitution which court after court has recognized as fundamental to the rights of citizens. Red Flag proponents might possibly have good motives for passing such bills, but good motives cannot deny the fact that HB 674 closely resembles a Rhode Island bill which even the Rhode Island ACLU opposed. So far, a Maryland citizen has been killed by police executing an unannounced Emergency Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in the past year and a half. Gary Willis’s life was taken, not saved, by ERPO orders. The General Assembly cannot be too careful in protecting the lives and liberties of Virginia citizens. Virginia is experiencing enough uncertainty due to the uncertainty and restrictions associated with the Coronavirus. Removing guns from citizens at this time would be imprudent and undermine trust between citizens, neighbors, and elected officials. Please contact Governor Northam today to urge him to add amendments to HB 674 before the Governor’s April 11th deadline, so that the amendments can be considered during the reconvened session. Here are the amendments I hope will be added to HB 674: 1) Require that clear and convincing evidence be evaluated by the regular rules of court-admissible evidence which has been corroborated, instead of “the judge shall consider any relevant evidence including any recent act of violence, force, or threat …” 2) Add a civil remedy for the person subject to the ERPO (or relatives or guardian) if the ERPO order is later reversed by a Court.) Add Court-appointed counsel for indigent subjects of ERPO’s and a provision for recovery of attorney’s fees if an ERPO is reversed by a court after the initial hearing or firearm removal. 3) Prohibit both early morning and unannounced raids. 4) Follow current civil commitment procedures after the initial emergency removal of firearms. 5) Allow the accused the right to cross examine any person who gives testimony or makes a complaint to the Commonwealth Attorney or the police leading to an ERPO. 6) Require those who allege imminent harm to provide such information based on an oath or affirmation of truth with a penalty for perjury. 7) Any firearms removed should not become the property of a government jurisdiction or of police. Rather, the arms should be kept secure by third parties for eventual return to the gun owner or his guardians. Gun Owners of America will keep me informed. Thank you.

Please urge Governor Northam to add necessary due process amendments to the Red Flag bill, HB 674. I question whether such bills can ever truly satisfy the “due process” guarantees in our Constitution which court after court has recognized as fundamental to the rights of citizens. Red Flag proponents might possibly have good motives for passing such bills, but good motives cannot deny the fact that HB 674 closely resembles a Rhode Island bill which even the Rhode Island ACLU opposed. So far, a Maryland citizen has been killed by police executing an unannounced Emergency Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in the past year and a half. Gary Willis’s life was taken, not saved, by ERPO orders. The General Assembly cannot be too careful in protecting the lives and liberties of Virginia citizens. Virginia is experiencing enough uncertainty due to the uncertainty and restrictions associated with the Coronavirus. Removing guns from citizens at this time would be imprudent and undermine trust between citizens, neighbors, and elected officials. Please contact Governor Northam today to urge him to add amendments to HB 674 before the Governor’s April 11th deadline, so that the amendments can be considered during the reconvened session. Here are the amendments I hope will be added to HB 674: 1) Require that clear and convincing evidence be evaluated by the regular rules of court-admissible evidence which has been corroborated, instead of “the judge shall consider any relevant evidence including any recent act of violence, force, or threat …” 2) Add a civil remedy for the person subject to the ERPO (or relatives or guardian) if the ERPO order is later reversed by a Court.) Add Court-appointed counsel for indigent subjects of ERPO’s and a provision for recovery of attorney’s fees if an ERPO is reversed by a court after the initial hearing or firearm removal. 3) Prohibit both early morning and unannounced raids. 4) Follow current civil commitment procedures after the initial emergency removal of firearms. 5) Allow the accused the right to cross examine any person who gives testimony or makes a complaint to the Commonwealth Attorney or the police leading to an ERPO. 6) Require those who allege imminent harm to provide such information based on an oath or affirmation of truth with a penalty for perjury. 7) Any firearms removed should not become the property of a government jurisdiction or of police. Rather, the arms should be kept secure by third parties for eventual return to the gun owner or his guardians. Gun Owners of America will keep me informed. Thank you.

Please urge Governor Northam to add necessary due process amendments to the Red Flag bill, HB 674. I question whether such bills can ever truly satisfy the “due process” guarantees in our Constitution which court after court has recognized as fundamental to the rights of citizens. Red Flag proponents might possibly have good motives for passing such bills, but good motives cannot deny the fact that HB 674 closely resembles a Rhode Island bill which even the Rhode Island ACLU opposed. So far, a Maryland citizen has been killed by police executing an unannounced Emergency Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in the past year and a half. Gary Willis’s life was taken, not saved, by ERPO orders. The General Assembly cannot be too careful in protecting the lives and liberties of Virginia citizens. Virginia is experiencing enough uncertainty due to the uncertainty and restrictions associated with the Coronavirus. Removing guns from citizens at this time would be imprudent and undermine trust between citizens, neighbors, and elected officials. Please contact Governor Northam today to urge him to add amendments to HB 674 before the Governor’s April 11th deadline, so that the amendments can be considered during the reconvened session. Here are the amendments I hope will be added to HB 674: 1) Require that clear and convincing evidence be evaluated by the regular rules of court-admissible evidence which has been corroborated, instead of “the judge shall consider any relevant evidence including any recent act of violence, force, or threat …” 2) Add a civil remedy for the person subject to the ERPO (or relatives or guardian) if the ERPO order is later reversed by a Court.) Add Court-appointed counsel for indigent subjects of ERPO’s and a provision for recovery of attorney’s fees if an ERPO is reversed by a court after the initial hearing or firearm removal. 3) Prohibit both early morning and unannounced raids. 4) Follow current civil commitment procedures after the initial emergency removal of firearms. 5) Allow the accused the right to cross examine any person who gives testimony or makes a complaint to the Commonwealth Attorney or the police leading to an ERPO. 6) Require those who allege imminent harm to provide such information based on an oath or affirmation of truth with a penalty for perjury. 7) Any firearms removed should not become the property of a government jurisdiction or of police. Rather, the arms should be kept secure by third parties for eventual return to the gun owner or his guardians. Gun Owners of America will keep me informed. Thank you.