Bill Text: CA AR39 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 56-11)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-05 - Read. Adopted. (Page 2165.). [AR39 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AR39-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 39
| Introduced by Assembly Members Gabriel and Wicks |
May 15, 2023 |
Relative to National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 39, as introduced, Gabriel.
Digest Key
Bill Text
WHEREAS, Every day, more than 110 Americans are killed by gun violence, alongside more than 200 who are shot and wounded, and on average there are nearly 16,000 gun homicides every year; and
WHEREAS, Americans are 26 times more likely to die by gun homicide than people in other high-income countries; and
WHEREAS, California has 3,160 gun deaths every year, with a rate of 7.8 deaths per 100,000 people. California has the 45th highest rate of gun deaths in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Protecting public safety in the communities they serve is among a legislator’s highest responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, Support for the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns away from people that should not have them; and
WHEREAS, Gun violence prevention is more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate gun violence after more than two years of increased gun sales, increased calls to suicide and domestic violence hotlines, and an increase in city gun violence; and
WHEREAS, In January 2013, Hadiya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed at 15 years of age; and on June 2, 2023, to recognize the 26th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (born: June 2, 1997), people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to Hadiya Pendleton, other victims of gun violence, and the loved ones of those victims; and
WHEREAS, The idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya’s friends, who asked their classmates to commemorate her life by wearing orange; they chose this color because hunters wear orange to announce themselves to other hunters when out in the woods and orange is a color that symbolizes the value of human life; and
WHEREAS, Anyone can join this campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 2nd, the first Friday in June in 2023, to help raise awareness about gun violence; and
WHEREAS, By wearing orange on June 2, 2023, Americans will raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors; and
WHEREAS, We renew our commitment to reduce gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms out of the wrong hands and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our children safe; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly declares the first Friday in June, June 2, 2023, to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and we encourage all citizens to support their communities’ efforts to prevent the tragic effects of gun violence and to honor and value human lives; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
