Cali Law Will Let Family Remove Guns From A Relative Who Could Be A Threat

A new law signed by Democratic California  this week  will let family members ask a judge to temporarily take guns and other firearms from a relative if they appear to pose a threat. That provision of the law is a first in the country, while another, which lets law enforcement go directly to a judge to get guns from people they believe to be a danger, is already legal in Connecticut, Indiana and Texas.

The law was proposed after 22-year-old Elliot Rodger killed six people near the University of California, Santa Barbara, before taking his own life in May. Rodger's mother had seen warning signs and notified police, but they decided he wasn't a danger after going to his apartment. However, advocates say the law may be used most instead to prevent people from committing suicide or from killing family members.

Under the law, the order keeping people from having guns will be valid for up to a year, with the idea being that the person hopefully will be able to get treatment during that time. However, the National Rifle Association told AP that concerned family members and law enforcement would be better off acting under mental health and domestic violence laws that are too rarely used.