Gun violence is a scourge and heartbreaking failure of our beautiful country. It is hard to fight it, because the gun lobby owns the Republican party.
However, there are things Biden can do to help the states.
Biden and Harris have been giving states clear guidance and model laws to fight gun violence
To kick off the initiative, the White House is releasing the Biden-Harris Safer States Agenda, outlining key actions states should take, including:
- Establishing a State Office of Gun Violence Prevention;
- Investing in evidence-informed solutions to prevent and respond to gun violence, including community violence interventions, Crime Gun Intelligence Centers, and implementation of Extreme Risk Protection Orders;
- Strengthening support for survivors and victims of gun violence;
- Reinforcing responsible gun ownership, including by requiring safe storage of firearms and reporting of lost and stolen firearms;
- Strengthening gun background checks, including by enacting universal background checks legislation and removing barriers to completing enhanced background checks; and
- Holding the gun industry accountable, including by banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and enacting firearm-specific liability laws to ensure that victims of gun violence have their day in court.
Under Biden, the Justice Department is helping states address complex gun issues by offering model laws. These models can be adapted to states’ diverse situations, but they draw on similar laws that have already been enacted across the country:
- Safe Storage Model Legislation. Safe storage saves lives. It is one tool in the toolkit to reduce school shootings, because we know that most often those students who carry out K-12 school shootings are using firearms they obtain from the home of a friend or family member. It is also a critical strategy to reduce suicide by firearms, accidental shootings, and the theft of firearms. The Department of Justice’s model legislation details how states can require the safe storage of firearms, including in vehicles, and hold individuals liable for harm caused by unsecured firearms.
- Lost and Stolen Firearms Reporting Model Legislation. Reporting of lost and stolen firearms allows law enforcement to investigate and prosecute firearms trafficking. The Department of Justice’s model legislation provides states with a framework for requiring that a person promptly report the loss or theft to law enforcement.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden did more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
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