AUGUSTA, Maine — It was standing room only on Thursday as dozens poured into the State House to voice their opinions on two different bills that come in the wake of Maine's deadliest mass shooting.
One bill, LD 2238, would require a 72-hour waiting period from when someone purchases a firearm to when they could use it.
The other bill, LD 2224, a bill pushed by Gov. Janet Mills, would create an Injury and Violence Prevention program in the CDC. It would also fund mental health crisis centers around Maine, including one in Lewiston, where the deadly mass shooting took place.
Spokespeople from Maine Senate Republicans said they don't see any legislator supporting either of these bills.
"We have been supportive of the concept of crisis receiving centers, but there are major concerns about other provisions in the bill," a spokesperson said over email.
Republican representative Donald Ardell said he was against the bills. He said anyone with bad intentions who wants to get a gun will find a way to get one, regardless of the gun reform passed.
"People who don't pass background checks don't subject themselves to them," Ardell said. "I think there are people who are actively hostile to our second amendment rights and will attempt to erode them any way they can."
Ardell said leadership in the state could not have passed any law that could have prevented the Lewiston mass shooting, and said existing laws could have stopped it.
"Maine's yellow flag law was a tool that was left in the toolbox... this is not a failure of legislation, this is a failure of execution," Ardell said.
Meanwhile, Representative Peggy Rotundo, who sponsored the bill, said in her testimony she is confident these laws can prevent gun violence.
"As a legislator, I cannot do anything to bring back the lives of the grandparents, parents, children, friends, and neighbors who lost their lives on Oct. 25, nor can I miraculously heal those people that were terribly injured in the mass shooting," Rotundo said.
Gun reform advocates said the laws proposed are considered best practices in other states.
According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, nine other states have implemented a waiting period between a gun purchase and use, and noted a 17-percent decrease in homicides with guns.
"Lewiston opened people's eyes to the ace that while we can care about each other, we are not immune," Camilla Shannon, board president for the Maine Gun Safety Coalition said.
Shannon testified in favor of the bills and noted the 72-hour waiting period could also prevent suicides.
"It allows people to get help to move through difficult emotions, and reduce the rate of suicides," Shannon said.
Gov. Mills' office was asked by NEWS CENTER Maine if she would support LD 2238, which would install the 72-hour waiting period. Her office said the governor is focused on her bill and reforming Maine's response systems in this Legislature.