Vice President Kamala Harris will announce a new resource center to help states implement red flag laws that allow the temporary removal of firearms from individuals who may present a danger to themselves or others.

Harris is expected to make the announcement Saturday during her visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where she will meet with the families of 17 people who were killed in a 2018 mass shooting.

What You Need To Know

  • Vice President Kamala Harris will announce a new resource center to help states implement red flag laws

  • Red flag laws allow family members or law enforcement to request a court order that temporarily takes away guns from owners who they feel may harm themselves or other people

  • 21 states currently have red flag laws

  • The vice president is expected to issue a call to action for additional states to enact red flag laws

The National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center will provide training and technical support to the 21 states that have red flag laws. The Center is funded through a Department of Justice grant enabled by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act the Biden-Harris administration enacted in 2022 to prevent and respond to acts of violence. It will be run by the John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

During her visit, Harris is expected to issue an official call to action for additional states to enact red flag laws. The Biden-Harris Administration has offered $750 million to states’ crisis intervention programs, according to the White House. Just six states with red flag laws have accessed the funds to implement them.

Red flag laws allow family members or law enforcement to request a court order that temporarily takes away guns from owners who they feel may harm themselves or other people. In addition to states, the new Resource Center will be available to local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers and behavioral health providers.

For fiscal year 2024, the Department of Justice is expected to make $141 million available to states, territories and the District of Columbia to implement crisis intervention programs, including red flag programs. That funding can be used to train court staff on red flag proceedings, family members about how to react when they see warning signs and first responders to recognize signs of crisis. The funding can also be used to increase public awareness about red flag laws.

Citing research from the Washington Post, the White House said there have been 394 school shootings since the Columbine High School mass shooting in Colorado in 1999. School violence incidents are often preceded by warning signs, such as an individual revealing plans ahead of time, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s National Threat Assessment Center.