In response to last-minute state directives, Maine gun retailers implemented a three-day waiting period for firearm purchases on Friday, as part of the new safety regulations enacted after the state's most lethal mass shooting, The Associated Press reports. Maine joins a dozen other states with similar laws, requiring that buyers wait 72 hours to complete a purchase and retrieve a weapon. The law is among several gun-related bills adopted after an Army reservist killed 18 people and injured 13 others on Oct. 25, 2023, in Lewiston. Friday’s milestone was celebrated by gun safety advocates who believe it will prevent gun deaths by providing a cooling-off period for people intent on buying a gun to harm others or themselves. Gun store owners complained about the guidance, released on Tuesday, and the loss of sales to out-of-state visitors during Maine’s busy summer tourism season. They also said the waiting period will take a toll on gun shows.
Some retailers claimed the guidance was late, and vague. “It’s as clear as mud,” said Laura Whitcomb of Gun Owners of Maine. She noted gray areas including the legal definition of the “agreement” that must be reached to trigger the waiting period. Critics of the law have vowed to sue. They contend it harms only law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to stop criminals from accessing weapons illegally. They also contend people who intend to harm themselves will find another way to do so if they are unable to purchase a gun on the spot. The waiting period law went into effect without the signature of Gov. Janet Mills. Mills told lawmakers during her State of the State address that doing nothing was not an option after the tragedy. The laws bolstered the state’s “yellow flag” law allowing weapons to be taken from someone in a psychiatric crisis, criminalized the transfer of guns to prohibited people and required background checks for people who advertise a gun for sale on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or elsewhere.
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