Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: David J. Canepa, Supervisor, District 5
Subject: Assembly Bill 61
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution urging the Governor to sign Assembly Bill 61 “Gun Violence Restraining Orders.”
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BACKGROUND:
California State Assembly Bill 61 (Phil Ting) limits access to certain deadly weapons by persons who are exhibiting signs of becoming a danger to themselves or others by amending existing law to enable an employer, a coworker, or an employee of a high school or college to request that a court issue a gun violence restraining order prohibiting such persons from owning, purchasing, possessing, receiving, or having in their custody or control a firearm or ammunition.
DISCUSSION:
From 2014 to 2017, there have been more than 1,300 mass shootings (incidents with 4 or more people killed or injured) and over the past decade more than 100,000 Americans have been killed by gun violence. From 2000 to 2019 mass shootings have been on the rise, with the majority of them occurring on school campuses and in the workplace. Currently, in the United States, there are over 500 workplace homicides each year, with firearms accounting for approximately 80% of those killings. More than 60 percent of people in this country who die from guns die by suicide, and suicide is the second-most common cause of death for Americans between the ages of 15 and 34. On August 4, 2019 in Dayton, Ohio, nine people were killed and 27 more were injured in the nightlife district. It was common knowledge amongst the former classmates that the shooter had an obsession with violence and mass shootings. This bill would have provided people the opportunity to act on these warning signs. Assembly Bill 61 strikes the right balance between preserving constitutional rights and prioritizing the safety of our citizens.
The resolution has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
This resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Safe Community by providing safety for our residents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.