Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his support for the Biden-Harris Administration’s executive order aimed at reducing gun violence and urged Congress to pass a national assault weapons ban. In a statement, Governor Newsom highlighted the importance of federal action in preventing school shootings and addressing threats posed by ghost guns and unserialized conversion kits.
“I am grateful for President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership in advancing – yet again – life-saving policies to make up for Congress’ continued failure to protect our communities from gun violence. California continues to stand with the President in enacting effective policies, but we are not immune to the failures of other states whose guns cross our borders,” said Governor Newsom.
The federal assault weapons ban, initially signed by President Bill Clinton with bipartisan support, expired on September 13, 2004. Since then, efforts to renew it have been blocked. In the past two decades, nearly 200 people have died in school-related gun incidents. Although California bans assault weapons, guns purchased from states with less stringent laws are often smuggled into California. More than half of crime-related guns seized in California were traced back to out-of-state dealers.
California remains committed to enhancing its gun safety laws. Recently, Governor Newsom signed several bills aimed at strengthening these regulations further.
California is recognized for its strict gun safety measures, which have contributed to a lower gun death rate compared to other states. The state’s laws are ranked first in the nation for gun safety. In 2022, California had the seventh-lowest gun death rate in the country. If other states matched California’s firearm mortality rates, an estimated 140,000 lives could have been saved.
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