The Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Act Just Advanced the Senate’s Governance and Finance Committee; Here’s What You Need to Know 

Today, the Senate’s Governance and Finance Committee advanced AB 28. The measure creates the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Fund which will provide long-term support for vital initiatives designed to prevent gun violence, and support survivors of gun violence. Programs funded by the legislation will improve implementation and coordination of gun violence prevention programs, tackle unsolved murders and shootings, and promote justice and equal access to safety for all Californians. AB 28 was first introduced by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and passed the Assembly last month – following today’s vote it now heads to the full Senate for consideration. 

Long-term funding created by a modest industry tax on businesses selling firearms and ammunition would benefit programs such as the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) grant program, which funds cities and community-based organizations providing violence intervention and prevention services to the communities hardest-hit by gun violence. Life-saving programs like these need sustained, long-term funding streams to continue their work from year to year. 

Additional programs which would receive funding through the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Fund include: 

• School mental health services and other protective measures for students impacted by gun violence. 
• Initiatives that ensure safe removal of firearms after a domestic violence restraining order or gun violence restraining order has been issued.
• Trauma-informed support services to direct and secondary victims of gun violence.
• The creation of the Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Program to equitably increase clearance rates for gun homicide and shooting investigations.
• Gun violence research through the California Firearms Violence Research Center and research-center led initiatives to educate health care providers about interventions for preventing firearm suicide and injury. 

Statistics about gun violence in California are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Rankings – which shows how California’s gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here. If you are interested in speaking with a local Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, please reach out to [email protected].