An Arizona House committee has given initial approval to a bill making it easier for police to detain people believed to be a danger to themselves or others because of a mental health issue.

From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Lynn Kelly reports.

The bill unanimously passed the House Public Safety Committee.  Arizona law currently requires an officer to directly observe someone displaying behavior indicating they're having a severe mental issue before they can detain them for a hospital evaluation.

Republican Rep. John Kavanagh says he filed the bill after reviewing current state laws following mass shootings across the nation. Kavanagh says his bill will allow law enforcement to use witness information to determine if there's probable cause for an evaluation.