CARSON CITY, Nev. – Nevada Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance SB 171 – legislation to prohibit the purchase, possession or ownership of a firearm by a person who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit a hate crime. This comes just days after Nevada Moms Demand Action Volunteers joined lawmakers and community partners in support of a gun safety package.
“This issue is simple – those convicted of a hate crime shouldn’t have access to a firearm,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Senior Vice President of Movement Building at Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action. “Every community should be safe from the threat of gun violence, and we must do more to protect families and communities most likely to be impacted. The goal of this bill is to save lives and we thank our gun sense lawmakers for their leadership and swift action on advancing this important measure. Our grassroots army is ready to continue working with lawmakers to turn this bill into law and engage with leaders at all levels to protect Nevada families.”
“Any individual who is motivated by hatred toward another group or individual should not be able to purchase or possess a firearm for a period of time after conviction,” said Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress. “As we see rising hate crimes across the country motivated by race, sexuality, and gender, SB171 is a reminder that we have work to do to ensure people in our community are safe and protected. We want to additionally thank all of the survivors and partners who have worked on getting this bill to this stage. Our work does not stop here and we look forward to the Senate Floor passing SB171 in the coming days.”
There are more than 28 hate crimes involving a firearm each day in the United States. Under federal law, a violent hate crime misdemeanor does not prohibit a person from purchasing a firearm, this bill would make it illegal for them to own, or possess a firearm. Hate crimes harm people in vulnerable communities – nearly half of race-based hate crimes target Black people, while most religiously motivated hate crimes target Jewish people. Guns and hate crimes are a fatal combination, as an estimated 75 percent of homicides of trans people are committed with a gun.
In an average year, 555 people die by guns in Nevada. With a rate of 17.5 deaths per 100,000 people, the state has the 16th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information on gun violence in Nevada is available here. To speak to a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action, a volunteer with Students Demand Action, or a policy expert, please reach out to [email protected].