87R4974 BPG-D
 
  By: Blanco S.C.R. No. 8
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, Gun violence in America is the leading cause of
  death among children and teens and the 13th leading cause of death
  among all ages; and
         WHEREAS, Each year, more than 39,000 people in the United
  States die as a result of gun violence, or about 109 every day,
  according to the Centers for Disease Control National Center for
  Injury Prevention and Control; tens of thousands more suffer gun
  injuries that are nonfatal but too often prove life-changing; and
         WHEREAS, In Texas, someone is killed with a gun every three
  hours, and guns are the state's third-leading cause of death for
  children aged 1 to 17; guns make domestic violence incidents far
  more likely to end in fatalities, and more than 60 percent of
  intimate partner homicides involve a firearm; and
         WHEREAS, Guns are a significant danger to Texans suffering
  from suicidal ideation; 60 percent of all suicides involve
  firearms, and the percentage is even higher for veterans who commit
  suicide; tragically, attempts of suicide by firearm in this country
  result in death 85 percent of the time, compared to just three
  percent for other methods, such as drug overdose; the vast majority
  of people who survive an attempted suicide do not try again; and
         WHEREAS, Capable of inflicting serious or deadly injuries on
  many people in a short time, firearms have vast potential to amplify
  violence; the nation saw 418 mass shootings in 2019 alone,
  resulting in the deaths of more than 460 people and injury to over
  1,700; Texas has witnessed numerous such incidents in recent years,
  including the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting, which
  claimed 26 lives and left 20 people wounded; the next year, a
  17-year-old student killed 10 and injured 10 at Santa Fe High
  School; 2019 brought even more devastation; in early August, a
  gunman murdered 23 and wounded a further 23 at an El Paso Walmart,
  and before the month was out, another shooter went on a rampage in
  Midland-Odessa, murdering seven and injuring 25; and
         WHEREAS, People who survive a firearm-related injury may
  experience severe long-term consequences, ranging from paralysis
  and other physical disabilities to problems with memory, thinking,
  and emotions, as well as chronic mental health conditions such as
  post-traumatic stress disorder; the effects of firearm violence
  extend beyond victims and their families, and mass shooting
  incidents can affect the sense of safety and security of entire
  communities and impact everyday decisions; the National Center for
  PTSD estimates that 28 percent of people who have witnessed a mass
  shooting develop the illness, while about a third develop acute
  stress disorder; incidents of mass violence have an enormous
  behavioral health impact on most people, whether they are
  survivors, witnesses, or exposed through mass media; moreover,
  active shooter drills in schools, implemented widely in response to
  mass shootings, are associated with increases in depression,
  stress, anxiety, and physiological problems among students, their
  teachers, and their parents; and
         WHEREAS, The economic impact of firearm violence is
  substantial as well; in 2015 alone, it cost the U.S. $229 billion;
  gun violence imposes myriad burdens on society, including work
  loss, medical and mental health care, emergency transportation,
  police and criminal justice activities, insurance claims
  processing, employer costs, and decreased quality of life; and
         WHEREAS, Gun violence is not inevitable, as shown by other
  wealthy nations with gun homicide rates vastly lower than ours; the
  United States has a deeply rooted culture of gun violence that has
  not received the same sustained, data-driven attention and
  government investment as other public health problems, including
  motor vehicle accidents and HIV/AIDS; in addressing those threats,
  scientific research informed a comprehensive public health
  response that dramatically shifted their trajectory; and
         WHEREAS, The size, complexity, and grave social and economic
  consequences of the gun violence epidemic demand a similarly
  comprehensive, science-based approach; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby declare gun violence a public health crisis.