County And State Focus On Gun Safety, Prevention

State Fast-Tracks Gun Safety Policies

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom June 15, issued a statement after judiciary committees in the Assembly and Senate advanced two of the governor’s sponsored gun safety bills. The committees passed legislation creating a private right of action to limit the spread of illegal assault weapons and ghost guns (SB 1327), as well as a bill restricting advertising of firearms to minors (AB 2571). The action follows the tragic elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

“California has led the nation in reforming our laws to protect communities from gun violence. This year is no different as we take decisive action to fast-track vital gun safety policies, even as recent federal court decisions threaten to make it more difficult to protect Californians from gun violence. Since the 1990s, our laws have prevented countless shootings and saved hundreds of lives. California isn’t waiting for Congress to act to protect our kids from needless gun violence.” 

The governor’s office has released a fact sheet that details California’s existing gun safety policies and their success in reducing gun deaths.

Details: www.gov.ca.gov/2022/06/02/fact-sheet-californias-gun-safety-policies 

Supervisors Pursue New Gun Violence Prevention Regs

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, June 14, voted unanimously to support a proposal by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis to pursue strengthening gun violence prevention policies in LA County.

The motion asks the county’s legal counsel to report back to the board with a list of potential regulations the board can implement to strengthen gun control measures and enhance the efficiency of regulations that already exist.   

During the meeting, Hahn also added two amendments to the motion. The first directs county counsel, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to report back on the possibility of declaring gun violence a public health crisis and the legal implications and benefits of doing so. The second throws the board’s support behind the recently announced framework for bipartisan federal gun violence prevention legislation.

Among other things, Hahn asked that counsel examine the following potential regulations for unincorporated Los Angeles County:

• Raising the age to purchase long guns (rifles and shotguns) to 21
• Banning the sale of .50 caliber handguns
• Enacting a safe storage ordinance similar to the City of LA’s
• Adopting buffer zones near schools where gun vendors cannot operate
• Prohibiting people who are on the no-fly list from buying guns

Details: Read the full motion here: https://tinyurl.com/Item-16