S2102

The Senate passed legislation requiring police to seize handguns during domestic violence calls, advancing a measure aimed at preventing intimate partner homicides. Senate Print 2102, sponsored by Sen. Harckham, mandates that officers seize firearms when weapons are visible or a search warrant exists, holding them for five days to allow time for protective orders and safety planning. The bill includes guardrails to protect lawful gun owners. Harckham cited statistics showing 70 women are killed monthly by intimate partners with handguns in the U.S., with Black women nearly twice as likely as white women to be shot by an intimate partner. He noted that domestic violence and police groups have requested stronger enforcement of the 2020 Safe Homes Act. The measure passed 43-19, with 19 senators voting in opposition.