PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rhode Island court officials have asked lawmakers to clarify legislation passed last year taking guns away from domestic abusers.
Democratic Rep. Teresa Tanzi has introduced a bill to update the law. The House Judiciary Committee will consider about 20 gun-related measures Tuesday.
Court spokesman Craig Berke says judges had concerns over ambiguity in the law. They disagreed over whether they had discretion to implement the gun surrender provision or whether it was mandatory.
The law prohibited gun possession by domestic abusers convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes and those subject to court-issued final restraining orders.
Berke says the courts would also like a provision describing how a hearing on the merits of the complaint would be held.
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association hasn’t heard of trouble enforcing the law.
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