Groups that typically oppose each other on gun control measures are expressing optimism following a plan laid out by Gov. Janet Mills to increase public safety in the wake of the Lewiston mass shootings that took the lives of 18 people in October.

In her State of the State address Tuesday, Mills outlined a series of changes in response to the mass shootings, including the expansion of crisis mental health centers, requiring background checks for advertised gun sales and changing the state’s yellow flag law to make it easier for police to take someone into protective custody.

David Trahan, a former Republican lawmaker and head of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, said he appreciated what he described as a “measured approach” to gun reform amid pressure from both sides.

And though he said he needs to review final language when the bills are presented to lawmakers, he expressed general support for some of them and enthusiastic support for the expansion of the mental health centers.

“There’s not enough resources to meet the need now,” Trahan said. “That will save far more lives than any gun control measure would.”

Shortly after the speech, the Maine Gun Safety Coalition released a statement saying they are grateful to the governor for her proposals, calling them a starting point.

“Gov. Mills rightly recognized the lasting impact of the two mass shootings, while treating the tragedy with the thoughtfulness and compassion that it deserves,” said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the coalition. “We are also grateful that the governor is willing to pursue meaningful gun safety reform. We cannot allow our lax gun laws to leave our communities at risk for ongoing violence.”

So far, Republicans in the Legislature have not weighed in on the proposals. While their formal response to the governor’s address on Tuesday expressed condolences to the Lewiston victims and their families, they did not talk about her proposed gun legislation.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the GOP said they plan to hold a press conference Thursday to share their thoughts.

Outside of Maine, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association did not respond to a request for comment.

On the Democratic side, Senate President Troy Jackson, who represents northernmost Maine, described Mills’ proposals as a conversation starter, but he did not take a clear stance on any of them.

“There has to be a way to keep our communities safer while also respecting the rights of responsible gun owners,” he said in a statement. “It’s time for the Legislature to meet this moment in our state’s history. The policies outlined by the Governor seem like a good place for this conversation to start.”

During her hourlong address to lawmakers, Mills said she spent time since the shootings thinking about what measures would work in Maine. She said the Lewiston shootings — and another in April in which four people were killed in Bowdoinham — prompted her to reflect “upon what is right for Maine in the wake of Lewiston, of Bowdoinham, and of the tragedies of suicide and domestic violence that are all too prevalent in our society.”

She said the proposal to expand the network of crisis centers will get people experiencing a mental health crisis care much faster and keep them out of emergency rooms and jails.

The first one opened in Portland in February 2022 and has helped nearly 3,000 people, she said. Another is planned for Kennebec County and on Tuesday, she said one could open in Lewiston if lawmakers agree to the funding in her upcoming budget.

When it comes to the state’s yellow flag law, Mills is proposing to allow police to get a court order from a judge to take someone into protective custody if they believe someone who possesses firearms is a danger to themselves or others.

As it is now, police must take someone into custody first, then seek a mental health evaluation, followed by a court order.

The change could address one of the barriers the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department said it faced when trying to do a welfare check on Lewiston shooter Robert Card, 40, of Bowdoin, the month before the shootings.

Deputies told a commission investigating the shootings last week that Card refused to open the door when they visited his home and because he had not been accused of a crime, they did not have the power to take him into custody.

Trahan said the sportsman’s alliance would support improvements to the yellow flag law, but not at the expense of the legal rights of gun owners.

“At SAM and in the gun rights community, we want to ensure the highest levels of due process remain intact,” he said.

With regard to background checks, Mills is proposing to require that if someone advertises a firearm for sale on Facebook or Craigslist or by other means, they would be required to do a federal background check.

But she stopped short of a full background check system, saying that a check would not be required if selling to a family member or a friend. She is proposing to make it a felony to “recklessly, intentionally or knowingly” sell to someone who is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

In summing up her proposals, Mills described them as practical.

“I recognize that, on the one hand, this legislation may be too little to those who believe more is needed, while, on the other hand, it may be too much to those who believe the opposite,” she said. “But violence is not a simple problem, nor is the remedy a single, simple measure. And these proposals represent progress, and they do not trample on anybody’s rights.”

Another group expressing general support and an interest in doing more are the leaders of the Legislature’s Gun Safety Caucus — Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cape Elizabeth) and Rep. Vicki Doudera (D-Camden).

“Strengthening the existing yellow flag law and closing loopholes in our background check law will go a long way toward keeping our families and communities safer,” they said. “In the coming weeks, we look forward to digging into these proposals and partnering with the Administration to find ways to address additional gaps in our laws.”