LISBON, Maine — In the wake of a mass shooting in the city of Lewiston, lawmakers are bringing forth a new bill that aims to combat gun violence.
Proposed by Senator Angus King and New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, the GOSAFE Act would regulate the sale, transfer, and manufacture of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons.
If passed, the act would limit the number of rounds a large capacity ammunition-feeding device could carry down to 10 rounds of ammunition or fewer.
The act would also create a list of prohibited firearms and a voluntary buy-back program for those firearms.
Exceptions to the law include arms such as semi-automatic shotguns, recoil-operated handguns and any rifle, shotgun, or handgun with permanently fixed magazines of 10 to 15 rounds or less.
Sen. Heinrich says the language in the bill specifically targets the lethality of firearms rather than what many would picture as an "assault weapon."
"This bill defines it in mechanical terms," Heinrich said. "It's the combination of a gas-operated action and a detachable high-capacity magazine."
Sen. King says such limits might have been able to save some of the 18 lives lost during the October shooting in Lewiston, of which a semi-assault rifle was used.
"Our goal is very simple: save lives," King said. "When the shooter has to reload, that there's an opportunity either for people to escape or for first responders."
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition has already shown its support for the bill, saying:
"The Maine Gun Safety Coalition is pleased that Senators King and Heinrich are offering legislation addressing the gun violence problem specific to assault weapons. We are currently reviewing the specific language proposed and how the bill will specifically impact Maine. We are hoping for a more comprehensive state ban in the upcoming second session of the Maine legislature."
Others are on the fence: Store owner Daniel Soules of Lisbon says although he agrees there are some misunderstandings when it comes to the lethality of all types of rifles, a focus on limiting capacity is not the answer.
"All it's doing is taking away the possibility of someone who is a licensed, legal, law-abiding gun owner from getting a gun that they might like to use," Soules said.
Soules says rather, he would like to see more of a focus on mental health support and prevention of getting firearms into the wrong hands.
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