Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor David J. Canepa, District 5
Subject: Resolution Supporting a 28th Amendment Regarding Gun Safety Principles to the United States Constitution
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution to support a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to enshrine gun safety principles in the Constitution.
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BACKGROUND:
California has been among the first states in the nation to adopt a number of gun safety reforms, ranging from assault weapons restrictions and strong background check requirements to red flag laws and domestic violence protections. Nevertheless, there are many states that do not have such gun safety reforms, impacting the public health and safety of individuals and communities throughout the country.
In June 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to enshrine fundamental, broadly supported gun safety measures.
DISCUSSION:
The County of San Mateo strongly supports legislation, programs, and initiatives that advance individuals and communities' public health and safety. In 2022, the County of San Mateo launched the San Mateo County Gun Violence Prevention Program to improve public safety by boosting efforts to remove guns from the hands of felons, stalkers, and other people prohibited from firearm possession, pledging $2 million in funding over a two-year period.
There have been several mass shootings that have occurred in recent years, including in Monterey Park, CA; Half Moon Bay, CA; Highland Park, IL; Tulsa, OK; Uvalde, TX; Buffalo, NY; San Jose, CA; Indianapolis, IN; Boulder, CO; El Paso, TX; Virginia, VA; and Thousand Oaks, CA.
The United States gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than in other high-income countries. Individuals with guns injure more than 100,000 people a year and kill more than 30,000 a year, including through homicides, suicides, and accidental death. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States, disproportionately impacts communities of color and neighborhoods that lack economic opportunities and leads to severe consequences in many instances for victims of intimate partner violence, who are often women.
This proposed resolution affirms the County of San Mateo's support for a 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect all individuals and communities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.