Red Flag Laws

Video: Red Flag Laws - What The Media and Politicians Refuse To Tell You

Red flag laws, also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), are gun violence prevention laws that allow a state court to temporarily remove firearms from a person who is believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

These laws allow loved ones or law enforcement to intervene by petitioning a court for an order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns. Petitioners first ask a judge to issue a confiscation order and present evidence about the risk they believe the individual poses.

Red flag laws can help de-escalate emergency situations. For example, in Arizona, red flag laws allow police, doctors, and family members to legally take away someone's firearms if they are considered a threat to themselves or others. This confiscation can last up to a year throughout evaluations of the person who had their guns confiscated.

As of June 2023, 21 states and the District of Columbia had passed some form of red flag law. Michigan and Minnesota's laws go into effect in early 2024.