Will Arizona lawmakers act to save abused women?

Time is running out.

Arizona lawmakers have one week to do what they can to save the lives of potential domestic abuse victims.

Or, more precisely, one week to begin the process to save the lives of domestic abuse victims.

Feb. 22 is the “crossover deadline” for introduced bills to make the jump from one chamber to the next.

Filling loopholes in the law

In order for that to happen, of course, bills must be voted on and approved.

That process can’t begin if a bill doesn’t even get a committee hearing.

A bipartisan bill to make it illegal for a person convicted of domestic violence or a crime against children from having a firearm hasn’t gotten a hearing.

SB 1219 fills loopholes in federal law and Arizona law.

Federal law says those convicted of domestic abuse of a spouse can’t own a gun, but it doesn’t include dating partners, even though that is where a high percentage of abuse takes place.

Over half the states have such laws

And Arizona law keeps convicted individuals from possessing a weapon only during probation. SB 1219 expands that indefinitely and requires offenders to turn in all guns they own.

Bills similar to this have passed in more than half the states and, unlike so much at the State Capitol, this bill has support from Democrats and Republicans.

One of the sponsors, Republican State Sen. Heather Carter, said of the bill, “The gaps in both state and federal law as it stands make it too easy for domestic abusers to get their hands on a gun. Between 2012 and 2016, the rate of intimate partner gun homicide in Arizona was 66 percent higher than the national average. That is unacceptable.

There is bipartisan support

"Across the country, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have worked across the aisle to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and it’s time we did the same. I’m proud to introduce legislation that protects victims of domestic violence in our state.”

Organizations like the Arizona chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and others have been working hard to get such a law on the books.

It’s stuck for now in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Chairman Eddie Farnsworth (602-926-5735 or efarnsworth@azleg.gov) has yet to give it a hearing.

Who's against this?

That means no Arizona lawmakers have had to vote on the matter. To take a stand.

But shouldn’t they?

Wouldn’t you like to know the names of elected officials who are against taking guns away from domestic abusers?

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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