Boston.com, October 2023
The mass shooting that killed 18 people in the college town of Lewiston has brought into question Maine’s gun laws and legislators’ efforts to keep them so lax. Critics have pointed to Maine’s lack of red flag laws, which more than 20 states — including some in New England — have put in place to stop guns from getting into the hands of residents deemed high-risk or dangerous.
What Maine has, instead, are yellow flag laws, which were written and passed in 2019 with the help of a gun-rights group, The Associated Press reported. It’s the only state with a so-called yellow flag law. How is it different from red flag laws, and how does Maine gun legislation compare to the rest of New England?