Panel Makes Recommendations On Mental Health And Weapons

Rhode Island – A state panel said that Rhode Island should join most other states provide some mental health records to the national background check system for firearms. The panel was created by lawmakers after the fatal shooting in Newton, Connecticut to examine because Rhode Island does not report any of the mental health records in the system. The panel finished its work on Tuesday, approving the report to the General Assembly that would allow courts to submit information to the system of background checks only when a person is admitted involuntarily and is determined to represent a substantial risk of violence. Panel members say they want to keep the fire away from outside violent people with mental illness while protecting the medical privacy rights under the Second Amendment of the Constitution. The recommendations now go to lawmakers.