{"id":1937408,"date":"2023-05-24T21:26:01","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T01:26:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-to-consider-bills-allowing-firearms-at-schools-and-lawsuits-against-gun-makers\/"},"modified":"2023-05-24T21:30:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T01:30:43","slug":"maine-to-consider-bills-allowing-firearms-at-schools-and-lawsuits-against-gun-makers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-to-consider-bills-allowing-firearms-at-schools-and-lawsuits-against-gun-makers\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine may allow guns in schools and sue gun manufacturers."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaine-to-consider-bills-allowing-firearms-at-schools-and-lawsuits-against-gun-makers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1937408&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Maine Considers Bills on Concealed Weapons and Lawsuits Against Gun Industry<\/h2>\n<div class=\"post_content\">\n<div class=\"aplayer_app\" data-source=\"https:\/\/vs1.youmaker.com\/assets\/2023\/0524\/eadd6943-61ed-4685-a8f6-d68db9d3ec11\/audio.mp3?length=2653965&#038;duration=221\"><\/div>\n<p>Two bills are up for consideration in Maine: LD 1557, which would allow concealed weapons on school property, and LD 1696, which would allow lawsuits against the gun industry from persons harmed by \u201cabnormally dangerous\u201d firearms.<\/p>\n<p>John Merrill, president of the Pine Tree State Rifle and Pistol Association, supports one bill but not the other. He doesn\u2019t trust the legislature to address Second Amendment issues adequately. \u201cMost of the legislators can\u2019t explain what an \u2018assault weapon\u2019 is,\u201d Merrill told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<h3>Concealed Weapons on School Grounds<\/h3>\n<p>LD 1557 would allow holders of valid concealed weapons permits to carry firearms on school grounds. The Maine Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs will consider the bill on May 24. State Rep. Reagan Paul, a Republican, sponsored the bill.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4505673\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/06\/01\/HargraveSchoolSign-1200x1166.jpg\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2022\/06\/01\/HargraveSchoolSign-1200x1166.jpg\" alt=\"Signage at Hargrave High School in the Huffman Independent School District in Texas warns those who may enter school property with ill intent that open carry is prohibited and that staff may be armed and will use whatever force is necessary to protect students. (Courtesy of the Huffman Independent School District)\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption><\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n<p>According to the Maine Legislature website, 86 people have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-navy-to-use-drag-queen-influencer-to-attract-diverse-talent-amid-recruitment-crisis\/\" title=\"US Navy hires drag queen influencer to diversify recruitment.\">submitted written testimony<\/a> about LD 1557. More than half are not in favor. The Maine Education Association, the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Maine Principals Association, and the Maine Children\u2019s Alliance oppose the bill.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the written opposition reviewed by The Epoch Times cited child safety. However, Merrill said that, based on recent events, safety would likely be enhanced by the presence of armed adults. Merrill said controls such as designating schools as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gun-rights-activist-tells-congress-education-can-reduce-shootings-not-more-laws\/\" title=\"Gun Rights Activist Tells Congress Education Can Reduce Shootings, Not More Laws\">gun-free zones<\/a> and depending on school personnel to keep doors locked have not stopped attackers.<\/p>\n<p>Referencing school shootings in Texas and Tennessee, Merrill said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-carolina-nears-eliminating-pistol-purchase-permits\/\" title=\"North Carolina Nears Eliminating Pistol Purchase Permits\">allowing concealed carry<\/a> on school property should be only one part of an overall security plan, including hardening facilities and training school personnel. \u201cWe can train teachers,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve tried everything else in schools so far, and it hasn\u2019t worked.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Lawsuits Against Gun Industry<\/h3>\n<p>The Maine Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary will consider LD 1696 on May 25. State Rep. Rebecca Millett, a Democrat, sponsored the bill to allow lawsuits against businesses in the firearms industry for damages from the \u201csale of abnormally dangerous firearms.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5015211\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/01\/27\/JR15-guns-1200x800.jpg\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/01\/27\/JR15-guns-1200x800.jpg\" alt=\"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) (R) joins other Democrats to condemn WEE1 Tactical\u2019s \u201cJR-15\u201d rifle being marketed to children. Also pictured at the Capitol press conference in Washington on Jan. 26, 2023, are (L-R) Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). (Photo by Win McNamee\/Getty Images)\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption><\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n<p>According to the bill, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-signs-bill-allowing-gun-makers-to-be-sued\/\" title=\"Newsom Signs Bill Allowing Gun Makers To Be Sued\">firearm-related products<\/a> are considered \u201cabnormally dangerous\u201d if they are \u201cmost suitable for assaultive purposes instead of lawful self-defense, hunting, or other legitimate sport and recreational activities.\u201d The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-to-consider-bills-allowing-firearms-at-schools-and-lawsuits-against-gun-makers\/\" title=\"Maine may allow guns in schools and sue gun manufacturers.\">definition includes products designed<\/a> or marketed to promote the conversion of legal products into illegal products or those marketed to minors or other individuals who cannot legally access the products.<\/p>\n<p>On May 23, 11 people submitted written testimony to the committee; 10 opposed the bill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maine committees to review LD 1557, allowing concealed weapons on school property, and LD 1696, permitting lawsuits against gun industry for &#8220;abnormally dangerous&#8221; firearms. John Merrill, Pine Tree State Rifle and Pistol president, backs one bill but not the other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1615,"featured_media":1937409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[7012,4204,9148,8681,3735,7170],"class_list":["post-1937408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-gun","tag-guns","tag-maine","tag-manufacturers","tag-schools","tag-sue"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1937408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1615"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1937408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1937408\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1937409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1937408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1937408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1937408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}