Giffords Applauds Governor Newsom for Signing Lifesaving Law Preventing Gun and Domestic Violence

Washington, DC — Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, applauds California Governor Gavin Newsom for signing into law critical legislation to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from accessing firearms. SB 320, introduced by Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and sponsored by Giffords, requires the implementation of uniform procedures to ensure that individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms due to a domestic violence restraining order relinquish their weapons. The bill also strengthens coordination between courts and law enforcement when there has been a violation of a relinquishment order. 

Julia Weber, Implementation Director, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence:

“Those who have used violence against their partners are too often able to illegally keep guns and use them to threaten, terrorize, harm, or murder their family members, law enforcement officers, or others in their community. SB 320 makes Californians safer by codifying best practices to ensure domestic violence perpetrators no longer have access to firearms. We thank Senator Eggman, the legislature, and the governor for their leadership in enacting this critical piece of legislation and look forward to working with communities statewide to build on these lifesaving procedures.”

Susan Talamantes Eggman, California State Senator (D-Stockton):

“Failure to ensure compliance with gun relinquishment orders endangers the lives of victims of domestic violence.  I’m proud to have authored SB 320, which strengthens the procedures courts must follow to ensure relinquishment. I want to thank the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence for partnering with me on this three year effort!”

Firearm access fuels domestic violence. Every year, more than 600 women in the US are shot and killed by intimate partners—roughly one woman every 14 hours. Although California has long passed legislation aimed at addressing this public health crisis, SB 320 will close a crucial gap by creating requirements and procedures to ensure domestic violence perpetrators promptly relinquish their firearms. 

As a commonsense gun violence prevention policy, SB 320 had the support of many organizations from  the domestic violence prevention community and other advocacy organizations, including California’s Little Hoover Commission; the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence; the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter; and the Prosecutors Alliance of California.