Since the Bill’s Introduction, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers have Testified, Sent over 13,000 Emails and Made Over 2,000 Calls to Lawmakers to Urge its Passage
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement after the California State Senate voted to pass AB 28, a bill to establish the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund to provide vital resources to life-saving programs, including the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) grant program, supported by a modest industry tax on businesses selling firearms and ammunition. The measure, which now heads to concurrence before going to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk, was introduced by gun sense champion Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and passed the Assembly with a supermajority in May.
“This bill is an innovative approach in tackling gun violence and a crucial step to improve the safety of all California families,” said Cassandra Whetstone, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We are grateful to gun sense champions in the legislature and community partners who worked so hard to pass this comprehensive bill that seeks to make our communities safer and target the root causes of gun violence.”
“We can’t afford inaction while gun violence rages in our communities. This bill will save lives – and not with a bandaid but by tackling the root causes of gun violence head on,” said Linette Montalvo, a volunteer with Students Demand Action in California. “We urge Governor Newsom to sign this bill into law so we can prevent these senseless tragedies from tearing our communities apart. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, and thank our leaders for putting our safety first.”
“I know from experience how traumatizing gun violence can be to individuals, families, and communities,” said Julius Thibodeaux with Movement 4 Life in Sacramento. “Fortunately, there are steps we can take to curb this crisis in our state – they just need support and long-term investment. The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act is a huge leap forward. CalVIP-funded programs are proven to reduce gun violence in the communities most heavily impacted.”
California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and leads the nation in having the most comprehensive system for removing firearms from those who are legally prohibited from having a gun. More information about gun violence in California is available here.