Gun rights advocates say that so-called red flag laws that aim to stop mass shootings aren’t needed because states already have laws that allow mentally ill individuals to be confined against their will and lose the right of firearm ownership for life.
Florida, for example, has what’s known as the Baker Act, under which someone can be hospitalized against their will for a mental health evaluation. Other states like California have similar laws that allow someone to be institutionalized for 72 hours for evaluation.
In California, a person who has been involuntarily committed would be prevented from possessing or purchasing a firearm for five years.