The governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley, announced yesterday, Saturday, August 9, 2009, that he had signed 16 new bills into law. Among these new pieces of legislation was one bill denying weapons to people who have been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment.
“One bill, approved in the wake of last year’s shooting massacre at Virginia Tech, denies weapons to people who have been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment because they pose a threat to themselves or others.”
“Starting Dec. 1, court clerks will be required to put their names in a national database used in gun background checks.”
“Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho was able to purchase guns in Virginia despite being involuntarily committed to outpatient therapy by a judge.”
“Federal law prohibits those who have been involuntarily committed for treatment to buy or own guns, but states have struggled to enforce it because many do not report residents’ commitments to the database. North Carolina had fewer than 500 records out of 450,000 in the database because until now reporting was optional.”
“A campus safety task force led by Attorney General Roy Cooper recommended the change in procedure.”
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/3356102/
