Gun Safety Advocates Joined Assembly Majority Leader Jauregui, Senator Harris for a Press Conference Highlighting Gun Safety Legislation
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 a press conference with Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui, Senator Dallas Harris, and other gun safety advocates calling for the passage of life-saving legislation. Following the press conference, Moms Demand Action Volunteers testified in support of a gun violence prevention package in a joint hearing of the Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees.
“These bills have a clear goal – to protect Nevadans from gun violence,” said Ben Tucker, an Everytown for Gun Safety Survivor Fellow and volunteer with the Nevada Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “A close friend of mine was senselessly taken by gun violence and nobody should have to experience the pain I have of losing a loved one. We come together to support gun safety policies and protect future generations from gun violence.”
“Currently our law allows people convicted of a misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor hate crime to possess a firearm regardless of the conviction,” said Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress. “We thank Senator Dallas Harris for sponsoring SB171 which will update our hate crimes laws consequently protecting people of color and the LGBTQ+ community from further harm. We also want to thank Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui for sponsoring an omnibus bill, AB354 which will stop people from bringing guns to election sites, polling places, and ballot tabulation centers.
The three life-saving gun safety measures heard today were:
- AB 354 – legislation to prohibit, under certain circumstances, the possession of a firearm in or within a certain distance of an election site
- AB 355 – legislation to prohibit anyone under 21 years of age from possessing semiautomatic assault rifles; make it unlawful to aid or knowingly permit a person who is less than 21 years of age to possess certain firearms under certain circumstances.
- 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
Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers are ready to keep working to make Nevada a leader in the fight against gun violence. Following the introduction of this gun safety package volunteers will continue to be in the forefront of advocacy – testifying in support, sending messages and engaging with lawmakers and community partners to get this and other gun safety bills into law.
This year, Moms Demand Action volunteers throughout the nation are asking lawmakers to take action and pass proactive measures that will save lives. This comes after Moms Demand Action volunteers had major success this past election cycle — across the country 150 Moms Demand Action volunteers won their race for office, and gun violence prevention proved to be a winning issue. In addition to Gun Sense Candidates winning many statewide races, including Attorney General Aaron Ford.
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].