Those who abuse dating partners or are convicted of stalking would be prohibited from buying or owning guns under bipartisan legislation that U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) recently introduced.
The Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act would update federal law and close loopholes in order to restrict gun ownership among those convicted of misdemeanor stalking or abusing dating partners. Since 2008, more than 40 new laws have been enacted by states to address guns and domestic violence.
“When I was district attorney, the crimes that kept me up at night were the ones that could have been prevented,” Donovan said. “There are clear warning signs — including a stalking conviction — before somebody commits serious acts of violence against a current or estranged partner. It’s common sense to keep tools of violence out of their hands. I know from experience that this legislation will save lives, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Donovan introduced the House bill with bipartisan support from U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI). U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a Senate version.
Gabrielle Giffords, a former congresswoman and the cofounder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, said a woman is fatally shot by an ex-spouse or intimate partner every 16 hours in America.
“This bill won’t stop every act of violence, but it does represent a major step forward that will help make women and their families safer,” Giffords said. “I applaud Senator Klobuchar, Congresswoman Dingell and Congressman Donovan for putting politics aside and introducing a bipartisan proposal. I urge my former colleagues in Congress to support this responsible legislation to help keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and make our country a safer place to live.”
This year, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah passed laws to protect domestic violence victims from abusers with guns. Donovan aims to make his bill the national standard.