STATEMENT
COMMENT BY SAN DIEGANS FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (SD4GVP) ON LAWS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM IRRESPONSIBLE FIREARM MANUFACTURERS AND SELLERS
San Diego, California, July 12, 2022 – Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills in recent weeks which allow the State, local governments, and Californians to sue irresponsible manufacturers and sellers of firearms for the harm caused by their products.
In 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which shields gun manufacturers and dealers from civil suits when crimes are committed using the guns they produce. Signed yesterday, AB 1594 utilizes an exemption to the federal statute that allows gun makers or sellers to be sued for violations of state laws concerning the sale or marketing of firearms. On June 30, Governor Newsom signed AB 2571 (Bauer-Kahan, San Ramon), which prohibits a firearm industry member from advertising or marketing firearms in a manner designed, intended, or that reasonably appears to be attractive to minors.
“Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among teens and children in the U.S. These two bills act together to require the gun industry to consider the safety of our youth,” said Therese Hymer, head of legislative policy for non-profit San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention.
“This bill is a significant step toward holding irresponsible, reckless and negligent gun manufacturers, distributors and sellers accountable,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward (San Diego), who jointly authored AB1594 together with Assemblymembers Phil Ting (San Francisco) and Mike A. Gipson (Carson). “The U.S. has less than 5% of the world’s population, yet we make up nearly a third of the world’s mass shootings. I’m proud to joint author AB 1594 and support other common sense gun reforms that will help make our communities safer.”
California’s gun safety policies save lives and serve as a national model for other states to follow. California has a 37 percent lower gun death rate than the national average. As a result of the actions taken by California, the state has cut its gun death rate in half and Californians are 25 percent less likely to die in a mass shooting compared to people in other states. Other states such as Texas and Florida, with few gun regulations, have had double-digit increases in the rate of gun deaths. According to the Giffords Law Center, in 2021, California was ranked as the top state in the nation for gun safety.
About San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention (SD4GVP)
Founded in 2018, SD4GVP, 501(c)(4), is an all-volunteer coalition of citizens and organizations in the San Diego region and beyond dedicated to ending gun violence in the U.S. This is accomplished through legislative advocacy, public education, and intervention strategies in high-risk communities. For more information, visit sd4gvp.org. Follow us on Facebook at SD4GVP, on Twitter @gvpsd4, and Instagram.
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