(Oklahoma City, OK) Gov. Kevin Stitt over the weekend signed legislation to preempt Oklahoma localities from implementing so-called “red flag” policies.
The bill from Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, was one of the last measures Oklahoma’s Legislature advanced Friday before adjourning.
Senate Bill 1081 prevents Oklahoma cities and towns from enacting policies that would allow a court or other entity to restrict gun access to people deemed to be an imminent danger.
Steagall said this is the nation’s first “anti-red flag” law.
More than a dozen states have enacted “red flag” laws. Oklahoma is not one of them. The U.S. Constitution prevents states from nullifying federal laws.
But both Dahm and Steagall said they were concerned about the possibility of the federal government enacting such a law or offering grants to states or localities to implement “red flag” policies.
After back-to-back mass shootings in Texas and Ohio last year, some congressional Republicans proposed legislation to entice states to enact “red flag” laws.
“Red flag” laws violate the Second Amendment and the right to due process, Steagall said Friday.
