Progressive Group Calls on Sanders, Clinton to Endorse Gun Safety Measures in California After UCLA Shooting

Group Calls on Sanders, Clinton to Endorse Gun Safety Measures in California After UCLA Shooting

CALIFORNIA -- As the Democratic Presidential primary race heads to California and polls show the race tightening significantly, the California-based Courage Campaign is calling on Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton to endorse a series of new gun safety bills currently being debated by the California legislature, as well as the “Safety for All” ballot measure that would enact a series of reforms to reduce gun violence.

“Regardless of whether Californians #FeelTheBern, say #ImWithHer, or are undecided, we expect those seeking to lead our country to pay attention to the critical issues impacting the daily lives of the people who live in the largest and most diverse state in the nation,” explained Eddie Kurtz, executive director and President of Courage Campaign. “California was the site of two of the country’s more recent high-profile mass shootings: Santa Barbara in 2014 and San Bernardino in 2015. Just yesterday, the UCLA campus was put on lockdown due to a shooting that left two dead. It’s clear that even in California where we have fairly aggressive gun laws, we must do more. No other industrialized nation endures this kind of gun violence. It can and must be stopped.”

The gun safety bills currently pending in the California legislature that Courage Campaign is calling Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders to endorse includes:

SB 1235 / AB 156 - requiring background checks for ammunition purchasers, licenses to sell ammunition, and the collection of sale information;

SB 880 / AB 1135 - redefines assault weapons to encompass specified guns capable of accepting any type of detachable magazine;

SB 1446 - prohibiting the possession of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds;

SB 1407 / AB 857 - requiring a person to get a serial number from DOJ before making or assembling a gun;

SB 894 - requiring the reporting of a lost or stolen gun within five days of when the person knows or reasonably should have known of the theft or loss;

AB 1511 - limiting infrequent lending of guns to specified family members;

SB 1006 - establishes a firearm violence research center at the University of California, filling the gap left by Congressional research into firearms.

In addition to the various pieces of legislation, Courage Campaign is calling on Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders to endorse the upcoming “Safety for All” gun safety ballot measure which would ban high-capacity military-style magazines, require background checks for ammunition, require reporting of lost or stolen guns, and ensure that people who possess guns illegally are caught. The ballot measure, organized by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, far exceeded the necessary signatures to put the measure on the ballot, and the NRA has pledged to do “everything in [its] power to put an end to this.”

Last month, Courage Campaign sent a letter to Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton asking them to address critical state and local issues impacting California voters -- including gun safety measures.

READ THE FULL LETTER HERE: https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.couragecampaign.org/images/Dear_Sec_Clinton_and_Sen_Sanders.pdf