Gun restriction bills on tap in Maine Legislature after state’s deadliest mass shooting

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Honoring victims, survivors and first responders following the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history is the first order of business for lawmakers returning to work Wednesday at the state House.

The Lewiston shooting tribute was expected to set the tone for a session that will include several gun safety proposals, including potential changes to the state’s so-called yellow flag law, which allows a judge to remove guns from someone in a mental health crisis.

The Maine Gun Safety Coalition planned a demonstration in the Hall of Flags to show support for victims and their families.

“Our hearts are broken about the shootings in Lewiston,” said David Farmer, spokesperson for the group. “There is an urgent need for action on gun safety reform. We cannot wait any longer to confront this growing problem.”

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Also on the agenda was a request by State Rep. John Andrews, who sits on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, to impeach Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who denied Republican former President Donald Trump a spot on the state’s primary ballot over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

It was unclear how the impeachment process would play out in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

The first hurdle would be a vote to proceed in the House. There would be an impeachment vote in the House and trial in the Senate in the unlikely event there were enough votes to proceed.

Lawmakers also planned to consider bills carried over from the last session, including a proposal to give greater sovereignty to Native American tribes in the state and another to amend the Maine Constitution to enshrine the right to an abortion, along with hundreds of other old and new bills.

Lawmakers also will have to decide how to deal with a supplemental budget that’s expected to top $100 million.