"Maine Legislature Enacts Comprehensive Gun Safety Reforms in Marathon Session"

Maine's state legislature passed sweeping gun safety laws, including background checks on private gun sales, waiting periods for gun purchases, and criminalizing gun sales to prohibited individuals, following a mass shooting that claimed 18 lives. The legislation also includes funding for violence prevention initiatives and a mental health crisis receiving center. The governor's bill was approved, but a proposal for a "red flag" law did not see action. Lawmakers worked through the night to pass the legislation, with the shooting serving as a tragic backdrop for the session.