AUGUSTA, Maine — On Tuesday, June 13, members of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition gathered in Augusta among a handful of state legislators, expressing a desire to see change. Specifically, advocates voiced support for four bills still in the Maine Legislature, as the session winds to an end in a little more than a week.
The coalition is backing four bills in particular:
LD 168, "An Act Regarding Criminal Background Checks for the Sale, Transfer or Exchange of Firearms," which would require universal background checks even through private sales.
LD 60, "An Act to Require a 72-hour Waiting Period After the Sale of a Firearm," which advocates said they hope would lower suicide rates.
LD 22, "An Act to Impede the Transfer for Firearms to Prohibited Persons," which would create greater consequences for someone who gives or sells a gun to a person they know isn’t allowed to have one.
LD 1340, "An Act to Prohibit the Sale or Possession of Rapid-fire Modification Devices," which would ban devices like bump-stocks that allow guns to fire more rounds more quickly.
"Mainers are sick and tired of gun violence in our state. They are sick and tired of it," Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, said during Tuesday’s event.
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition pointed to the latest report from the Maine CDC, saying Maine has the highest death rate of any state in the Northeast. It also indicates Maine has a growing suicide-by-gun problem, with 154 deaths by gunshot in Maine in 2022—and 132 of them being suicides.
"This is not about taking away anybody's guns,” Rep. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, said. She’s the sponsor of LD 60 and is hoping it will pass to prevent more suicides.
"My heart goes out to children, brothers, sisters, whatever. It’s time to end the violence," Craven said.
Nacole Palmer, the founder and director of the Show Up Network for Gun Safety, said a new Pan Atlantic Research poll indicates 72 percent of Mainers want background checks. The poll also indicates the majority of Mainers support 72-hour waiting periods, too.
"The majority of people who are Republicans and Independents and Democrats want these life-saving measures because they want their communities to be safe," Palmer said.
Still, opponents of stricter gun control measures are not convinced. Lauren LePage with the National Rifle Association said she thinks they would harm law-abiding citizens.
"Frankly, it can be dangerous for someone who needs to obtain a firearm for personal protection and is then forced to wait three days," LePage said.
She also said there isn’t evidence that establishing a 72-hour waiting period or stronger background checks would do much.
"It's an arbitrary measure," LePage said.
People like Isa Conroy, a volunteer from Maine with Moms Demand Action, said they’re still hopeful change will happen before the Legislature adjourns for the rest of the year.
"I'm a concerned mom. I'm concerned not only for our current state but if we're silent or complacent just as a society, as average citizens—what that means for our future," Conroy said.
These bills all face further votes in the Legislature.