Prosecuting a violent felon for the crime of illegal possession of a firearm

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law prohibits the following persons from possessing a firearm: persons who have been convicted of a felony; persons found not guilty of a felony by reason of mental disease or defect; persons who are subject to certain injunctions such as a domestic abuse or child abuse injunction or, in certain cases, a harassment or an individuals-at-risk injunction; and persons who have been subject to involuntary commitment for mental health treatment and ordered not to possess a firearm.

Under this bill, if a prosecutor has charged a person with illegal possession of a firearm and the person has been convicted of, adjudicated delinquent for, or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of, committing, soliciting, conspiring, or attempting to commit a violent felony, the prosecutor may not place the person in a deferred prosecution program and the prosecutor may not dismiss or amend the charge without the approval of the court. The court may approve the dismissal or amendment only if the court finds the action is consistent with the public's interest in deterring the possession of firearms by violent felons and with the legislature's intention to vigorously prosecute violent felons who illegally possess a firearm. If the court approves at least one dismissal or amendment in a year, the court must submit an annual report to the legislature detailing each approval.

Who's behind it

18 lawmakers are its authors⁠. All 18 are Republicans.

7 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.