Sen. Collins co-sponsors bill related to gun background checks

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is one of the co-sponsors of a bill that would require state authorities to be alerted when prohibited individuals fail a national background check.

The Republican said that Maine and 36 other states aren’t automatically alerted when someone who’s prohibited from buying a gun because of a felony conviction or domestic abuse tries to make a purchase. The bill would require a notification within 24 hours.

Sen. Susan Collins

She called the bill common-sense, bipartisan legislation that would “stop dangerous people from obtaining guns illegally while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”

The primary sponsors of the bill are Republican Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Marco Rubio of Florida, and Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Bill Nelson of Florida.

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