ROUND UP: Progress on Gun Safety (10/01)

October 1, 2018

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas took the lives of 58 victims and left more than 800 injured. Despite the 68 percent of voters who support banning assault-style weapons and the 77 percent of voters who support the ban of bump stocks, Congress has done nothing to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. In the aftermath of the tragedy, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords called upon Congress to take action against gun violence, “Now is the time to take positive action to keep America safer. Do not wait. The nation is counting on you.”

But if this Congress won’t do this most basic job of keeping people safe, it’s time to #VoteThemOut.

That’s why Gabby and her husband Navy combat veteran retired NASA astronaut, Mark Kelly, are hitting the campaign trail for their “Vote Save Lives” tour, aimed at turning out voters to elect gun safety candidates in battleground states. That’s also why last week, Giffords endorsed 20 more gun safety champions running for Congress on strong gun safety platforms. These include former Ambassador Nancy Soderberg in Florida, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan in Illinois, and Dana Balter in New York. And with just 37 days to go until Election Day, we’re going to do everything in our power to make sure gun safety wins at the ballot box.

But we’re not alone – candidates and other organizations are putting their money behind electing gun safety champions:

Hillary Clinton, gun-control groups, lawmakers unite on fundraiser for ‘NR8’ candidates (USA Today) : Democratic lawmakers, gun-control groups and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are teaming up for a 24-hour fundraising blitz to help pro-gun-control candidates “take back seats from the gun lobby.” Along with Clinton, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., are among more than a dozen lawmakers who will ask their supporters to contribute. Joining them are the progressive group MoveOn and the gun control groups Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Moms Demand Action, Pride Fund and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Congressional Race In Colorado Heats Up As National Gun Groups Spend Big (KUNC) : As election day approaches, national gun violence prevention groups are spending big on the competitive race in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, and on other tight races across the country, in a push to make gun control a winning issue this year. This week, two pro-gun control political action committees announced millions in planned spending on ad campaigns. On Tuesday Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, the advocacy arm of the organization started by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, announced that it will spend $5 million on ads in 15 house races…Earlier this week Giffords PAC, the political arm of the gun safety group founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, launched a $1.5 million ad campaign focused on Colorado’s 6th District, backing Democrat Jason Crow…
Bloomberg-founded gun control group launches ads to flip 15 GOP House districts (Politico) : Everytown for Gun Safety, the pro-gun control group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is rolling out a $5 million digital ad campaign targeting 15 House races, as the group continues heavy investment in the midterm elections. The group announced plans to target House districts embedded in suburban communities outside of cities like Atlanta, Kansas City, Miami and Minneapolis. The 15 districts are all featured on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” target list, a program that denotes top-tier races.

And in the face of federal inaction, states continue to pass stronger gun safety measures:

Governor Signs Todd Gloria’s Bill Strengthening Concealed-Carry Training Rules (Times of San Diego) : Gov. Jerry Brown has signed San Diego Assemblymember Todd Gloria ‘s bill that strengthens the training requirements for carrying a concealed weapon in California.
Pa. House votes for tougher gun rules in domestic violence cases (The Sentinel) : A proposal to force people in Pennsylvania convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence or subject to protective orders to surrender their guns within 24 hours moved closer to becoming law Wednesday after approval by the state House. State representatives voted 131-62 for a bill that would also end the ability to turn over weapons to family members or friends. Instead they would have to go to police, a gun dealer or a lawyer.
I-1639 the most ambitious effort at gun regulation in Washington State’s history (Seattle Times): Following a shooting in which his son was injured, Paul Kramer is now the public face for Initiative 1639, the most ambitious gun-regulations measure in Washington history. I-1639 is the nation’s only statewide firearms measure on the ballot this fall, and it puts Washington back in the center of the debate over gun violence and constitutional rights.

And people are fighting for safer guns outside of the political process too…

Investors at Smith & Wesson parent support call for gun safety report (Reuters) : Investors at American Outdoor Brands Corp approved a call for the gun maker to produce a safety report, officials said during its annual meeting on Tuesday, marking a second win for religious activist shareholders focused on firearms makers after a series of mass shootings in the United States. The resolution, approved over the company’s objections, asks its board to report by February on its efforts to monitor gun violence, to research and produce safer guns, and for an assessment of reputational and financial risks.
Local school district being sued over giving teachers, staff access to firearms (ABC22) : An area school district says it is being sued for its decision to allow teachers and staff to access firearms. Madison Local Schools posted on its Facebook page Tuesday afternoon saying the district’s Board of Education and Superintendent are named as defendants. “We have chosen not to name the community members who have brought about this suit, so as not to further divide our community,” the district wrote in the post. The decision to give teachers and staff access to firearms comes after authorities said a student, who was 14-years-old at the time opened fired inside the Madison Jr./Sr. High School cafeteria in 2016. Two students were injured in the shooting, two others were injured by flying metal.

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