SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement after Governor Spencer Cox signed HB 119. The measure incentivizes arming teachers by creating an “Educator-Protector Program” which includes granting legal immunity to teachers and schools participating in the program when someone gets hurt because a teacher was carrying a firearm at school.
“Let’s keep our educators centered on what they do best – teaching. We should be working on finding ways to keep guns out of the wrong hands and out of the classroom – not inviting them into our schools.” said Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action. “It’s shameful that this new law will do the opposite. We urge lawmakers on both sides and Governor Cox to come together and work on comprehensive gun safety policies that tackle our state’s suicide crisis, and protect our kids and communities, from Salt Lake City to St. George, from senseless acts of gun violence.”
Governor Cox also signed HB 101. The measure requires law enforcement agencies to annually report information about firearms recovered from people who aren’t legally allowed to have them to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.
In an average year, 418 people die by guns in Utah. With a rate of 13.4 deaths per 100,000 people, Utah has the 29th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information about gun violence in Utah is available here.