Obama Proposes Firearm Background Check Changes.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/ap

HONOLULU — The Obama administration on Friday announced a pair of executive actions aimed at strengthening federal background checks for gun purchasers, with a particular focus on limiting firearm access for those with mental health issues.

One proposed rule change aims to clarify terminology used by federal law to prohibit people from purchasing a firearm for mental health reasons. The administration said states have complained that some wording is ambiguous, making it difficult to determine who should be blocked from buying a weapon.

A second proposed rule change would allow hospitals and other entities covered by patient privacy provisions to submit additional information to the background check system. However, the administration said the rule change would not require reporting on general mental health care or legally prohibit someone from having a firearm solely because they sought treatment.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/01/03/us/ap-us-obama-gun-control.html?hp

[firsttimer]

1. This is bad

[NutmegYankee]

2. Why? Virtually every mass shooter was mentally ill.

This can save a lot of lives.

[firsttimer]

3. I read the article but I think it will stop people from seeking help

I think what you say to your doctor should be private unless you specifically
tell him or her you are going to kill someone .

[elleng]

7. Don't think so, because it concerns

those 'involuntarily committed or adjudicated mentally incompentent.'

[NutmegYankee]

9. I believe it has to do with the 1968 Gun Control Act

Anyone who has been adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution is prohibited from owning firearms. The problem is this information hasn't always made it into the NICS system. An example is the murderer behind the Virginia Tech shootings. He had been declared mentally ill by a Virginia special justice and ordered to seek outpatient treatment. But due to a misinterpretation of privacy laws, that information never got to the NICS system.

[Lurks Often]

6. Nonsense

Only the VA Tech shooter might have failed a NICS check and even he fell into a gray area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seung-Hui_Cho#Psychiatric_evaluation

None of the other recent mass shooters were ever involuntarily committed or adjudicated mentally incompetent, which is the current legal threshold, something I don't believe can be changed by executive order.

Since the article fails to go into detail about the changes, we don't know what, if anything, is going to be done.

[elleng]

8. Right.

[NutmegYankee]

10. Wrong.

The Navy Yard shooter, Virginia Tech shooter, Movie Theater shooter, Congress Woman shooter, etc.

They were mentally ill. Current laws may not have stopped them, but my statement is correct.

[Lurks Often]

11. Your statement is an opinion

Just because we might think a person is mentally ill because we can't understand why he or she did the things they did does not make them mentally ill.

To date only the AZ shooter has been determined mentally incompetent by qualified professionals.

[NutmegYankee]

12. The VT shooter had also been found mentally ill.

The Navy Yard shooter has substantial evidence supporting this.

[Lurks Often]

14. I addreesed the VT shooter in another post already. n/t

[Lurks Often]

4. An article distinctly lacking in detail about what will actually be changed

The short version is anybody involuntarily committed or adjudicated mentally incompentent is prohibited from purchasing a firearm.

The long (legal) version is here, see question 11 F:

http://www.atf.gov/files/forms/download/atf-f-4473-1.pdf

[elleng]

5. Right, AP not known for detail.

[Swede Atlanta]

13. Let's step back from the "dialogue"

Rational individuals should be able to agree that the ability to purchase and possess firearms by individuals that have been diagnosed (with qualifications) with serious anti-social conditions, convicted of violent crimes, etc. should be restricted.

We will NEVER, EVER eliminate violence. But this is a sensible first step.

Australia went a bit further after a gun rampage and through reasonable but tough restrictions on the purchase and ownership of firearms virtually eliminated gun violence. Will the U.S. ever look at their solution? No because the NRA says...

the more guns (and profit for their paymasters) the better. More guns means more killing...oh I meant more safety.

[Lurks Often]

15. These people are already restricted

See http://www.atf.gov/files/forms/download/atf-f-4473-1.pdf

Presuming the states have updated their data bases, no one convicted of a felony, violent misdemeanor, stalking or has been adjudicated insane can buy a firearm. (See the link for the complete list)

Some states have further crimes added to the Federal list.

[X_Digger]

16. Diagnosed?

I hope your 'with qualifications' includes due process.

[onehandle]

17. 'Obama's comin' to git arr gunzzz!!!' nt