California Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Assembly Public Safety Committee For Passing Police Reform Legislation

The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement applauding the Assembly Public Safety Committee after passing SB 299, legislation to ensure that victims of excessive use of force by law enforcement are able to utilize victim compensation. 

“Police violence is a critical part of the gun violence prevention movement, but hasn’t always been treated that way,” said Krystal LoPilato, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “As we continue to expand the work of these movements to be inclusive of police reform, it is important to follow the lead of organizations and communities who have been leading this work for decades. We are proud to stand with our partners, like YouthALIVE!, in supporting these critical bills and will continue working to get them across the finish line.” 

“Students in California are ready for meaningful change on police reform, and we won’t stop fighting until we get it,” said Tristan Cotter, a volunteer with Students Demand Action in California. “I’m grateful to live in a state that could soon be one of the few in the country to get rid of this antiquated and racist practice.”

The bills are part of a swath of bills that the California legislature is considering this session to prevent gun violence including comprehensive police reform. Ending police violence requires more than legislation, but state legislature action is an important step in addressing police violence in California. Data from Mapping Police Violence shows that between 2013 and 2020, over 1,300 people were killed by police in California, the majority with guns. Read more about police reform policies here. 

Every year, over 3,000 Californians are shot and killed and over 6,000 are wounded. More information about gun violence in California is available here.