SACRAMENTO – On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a new campaign to make California schools and communities safer through a community outreach campaign to promote restraining orders. restriction of gun violence, also known as “red flag” laws.
“Gun violence is an epidemic – too many Americans are forced to live in fear through inaction,” Governor Newsom said. “In California, we are taking action with common sense gun safety measures that get guns out of our communities and keep people safe.”
Red flag laws allow for the temporary removal of firearms and ammunition from people who are at risk of harming themselves or others. They allow relatives or law enforcement to intervene and temporarily prevent a person in crisis from accessing firearms.
California Posted 3,007 gun violence restraining orders from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, the state issued 1,284 restraining orders, 15 times more than the 85 issued in 2016.
This new 18-month, $11 million campaign, administered by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, will focus on raising awareness and education about California’s Red Flag laws with communities most at risk of armed violence.
The campaign includes:
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$5 million in grants to local community domestic violence groups for community outreach.
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$5 million for statewide outreach to communities most at risk of gun violence, including education efforts, research, and multilingual outreach.
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$1 million for education and training for district attorneys and law enforcement groups.
The Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis Health last year published a study emphasizing support for gun violence restraining orders and the need to raise public awareness of the issue.
Red flag laws have proven effective in reducing gun violence and deaths. These laws can help defuse emergency situations. California is one of many states across the country that is increasingly emphasizing red flag laws as a sensible way to help reduce gun violence.
“California has national gun safety laws,” said Mark Ghilarducci, director of the governor’s office of emergency services. “Education and awareness on how to use red flag laws is critical to their success. This campaign will focus on educating families and law enforcement about the tools they have to prevent the armed violence.
Passed in 2014 following the Isla Vista shootings, California’s Red Flag law allows law enforcement officers and others to file motions for court orders called a Gun Violence Restraining Order to temporarily suspend a person’s access to firearms when they are found to pose a significant risk. for themselves or for others by having lawful access to firearms or ammunition.
Governor Newsom yesterday released a fact sheet detailing California’s national gun safety record. The governor also thanked President Joe Biden for his leadership on gun safety and joined him in calling on Congress to pass gun safety legislation.
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