House passes 'extreme risk' gun bill

BOSTON — The House has passed a bill that would allow family members to file a protection order stripping a defendant of their firearms if they are deemed a safety risk.

Lawmakers said on the floor they believe this is the logical next step to prevent mass shootings like in Parkland and in Texas. They said “thoughts and prayers” are no longer enough.

The House passed the bill by a 139-14 vote. It now moves on to the Senate.

The bill received overwhelming support from the Mass Police Chiefs Association and gun control groups.

“I have letters here from some first graders I want to live,” said Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge).

MORE: Panel approves 'red flag' gun safety bill, House vote next

House lawmakers voted in favor of the so-called "Red Flag Bill" that would allow family members to file an extreme risk protection order, or “ERPO” that would suspend someone's license to carry a firearm and order them to surrender their firearms and ammunition if they’re believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

“After every mass shooting, people who present a danger to themselves should be separated from their guns,” said Decker.

The bill was filed in November but gained steam after the Parkland High School shootings and student protests for gun control.

Like bill sponsor representative Marjorie Decker, Moms Demand Action’s Molly Malloy says she was called to action after the Newtown massacre.

MORE: Local Harvard student helps to push for 'red flag' gun safety bill 

“My oldest child was the same age as the children killed that day and I realized there was no reason that had happened to those parents and not to me,” said Malloy.

“Do you think it will protect the public? No. Not at all,” said Jim Wallace, president of Gun Owners Action League.

Wallace calls the measure a gun confiscation bill and criticized last-minute cuts to the bill.

MORE: 'Extreme risk' gun bill to be debated at State House

“They stripped everything out of this bill about mental health. They’ve stripped all of the processes out of the bill. They’ve stripped all the evidentiary standards.

There were some students here in the house and lawmakers spoke in favor of the bill saying it would have significant impact military families.

Cox Media Group