Virginia ends a loophole in gun laws
Legal News Center
[##_1L|1331017218.jpg|width="130" height="98" alt=""|_##]Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine issued an executive order Monday closing the loophole that allowed Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho to purchase a firearm despite having been ordered to receive psychiatric treatment by a Virginia court in 2005. The executive order amends Virginia law so that any person who has received involuntary outpatient or inpatient mental health care will be prohibited from purchasing a firearm by having their name and record placed in a database.
Previously, only those receiving inpatient mental health care were to be listed in the database, which allowed Seung-Hui Cho to bypass the screening process. A federal law prohibits persons "who have been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution" from possessing or receiving "any firearm or ammunition."
Legislation to improve enforcement of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has been introduced in the House of Representatives the past three terms, but has never become law.
Related listings
-
Changes Urged for Student Privacy Law
Legal News Center 04/28/2007[##_1L|1048872595.jpg|width="130" height="98" alt=""|_##]A lawmaker who also is a child psychologist wants Congress to better define when a university can release students' mental health information to their parents. Last week's massacre at Virginia ...
-
Ex-Justice Dept. Lawyer Under Scrutiny in Probe
Legal News Center 04/28/2007[##_1L|1323569143.jpg|width="120" height="101" alt=""|_##]A federal task force investigating the activities of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff has in recent weeks been looking into whether one of Abramoff's colleagues improperly traded favors with a...
-
New Hampshire legislature passes civil unions bill
Legal News Center 04/27/2007The New Hampshire Senate voted 14-10 Thursday in favor a bill allowing same-sex civil unions, sending the legislation on to Gov. John Lynch for signature. The bill, passed by the state House of Representatives earlier this month, would authoriz...
Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.
Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.