A move by Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson to expand background checks at gun shows proved as explosive as the firearms it intends to keep in good hands. It will ruffle feathers at the state Legislature, but instead of shooting back, lawmakers should use this moment to thoroughly debate and shore up Utah’s public safety approach.

Identifying what amounts to a loophole in the way buyers can purchase firearms at a gun show, Wilson announced Monday that all gun sales taking place in a county-owned facility — specifically those purchases involving private exchanges — will be subject to a background check, a requirement currently imposed on licensed gun dealers only.

The most obvious challenge will be one of legality. Critics argue the county is overstepping its authority because the state retains the power to change gun laws.

Related Salt Lake County to require background checks for gun show sales at county facilities

Wilson is trying to navigate the legal waters by more or less asking the county management company, which oversees the facilities that house gun shows, to require the gun show promoters to impose the background checks. Whether that keeps the county in the clear as it relates to state law could likely be decided by the judicial system — provided the Legislature doesn’t reverse the move, first.

But blindly intervening without considering the county’s motives would be a mistake. Instead, legislators should use this moment to debate and hash out aspects of public safety.

The idea isn’t to limit freedom; it’s to protect communities by keeping powerful weapons out of the hands of bad actors or at-risk residents. Of particular concern should be reducing access to a fireman for those at risk of committing suicide. Guns are the No. 1 cause of death for those who take their own lives, and suicide by gun accounts for the majority of all gun deaths in the country.

Utah suicide trends continue to outpace the rest of the country, particularly for youths aged 10-17. That should be enough to make this a primary driver of the conversation as it pertains to gun access and safety.

Expanding background checks should be a part of that debate. An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll conducted earlier this year found 89% of Americans favor expanded background checks. Nevertheless, evidence of their effectiveness is mostly inconclusive. One study featured by the National Institute of Health found no relationship between comprehensive background checks and homicide or suicide rates. A Rand analysis, on the other hand, finds more nuance and room for better data collection.

Still, we know there are more ideas worth debating than background checks alone, and we’re certain there’s room enough for consensus. Two Republican-sponsored bills aimed at continuing gun safety education efforts and encouraging safe firearm storage emerged from the Legislature earlier this year, and we expect that conversation to continue next year.

Despite potential legal fights, Salt Lake County is jump-starting another debate on firearms and public safety in the Beehive State. Engaging in that conversation shouldn’t be a point of division.