An Act to Abolish the 72-hour Waiting Period for a Gun Purchase
Summary
LD1230 would repeal Maine’s existing 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases. Under current law, a seller must wait three days before delivering a purchased firearm to the buyer; this bill removes that delay entirely, allowing transfer of the firearm immediately once the sale is otherwise lawful and complete.
The measure is narrowly focused on one provision of Maine’s firearms laws and would undo a change enacted in 2023. If enacted, it would affect firearm sellers, purchasers, and law enforcement or regulatory systems that currently rely on the waiting-period requirement as part of the state’s gun purchase process.
Impact
The bill would amend Maine’s firearms statutes by repealing the statutory 72-hour waiting period for gun sales, eliminating the mandatory delay before delivery of a purchased firearm. This would change the timing requirements for lawful firearm transfers in the state and remove a current consumer-safety and cooling-off provision from state law.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was controversial and did not command broad support. The initial reference vote was close, and later votes show the Legislature ultimately favored an ought-not-to-pass position, indicating that a majority of lawmakers opposed repealing the waiting period. No committee transcript is available, but the recorded votes point to a divided debate over gun policy.
Contention
The main point of contention is whether Maine should keep or eliminate the 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases. Supporters of repeal likely view the delay as an unnecessary burden on lawful gun buyers and sellers, while opponents likely see it as an important safeguard that can reduce impulsive gun violence, suicide, or other harm by creating a cooling-off period. The close votes indicate that both public-safety concerns and gun-rights arguments were significant in the discussion.