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Brady Campaign Releases 5th Annual Report Card On State Gun Laws
Josey1
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Brady Campaign Releases 5th Annual Report Card On State Gun Laws Protecting Children To: National Desk Contact: Amy Stilwell or Nancy Hwa, 202-898-0792, both of the Brady Campaign WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In its fifth annual analysis of state laws protecting children from gun violence, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March, and in partnership with independent state gun violence prevention groups, highlighted the progress made in its efforts to protect children from gun violence and noted an encouraging decrease in the number of children killed by guns. However, while some states have successfully strengthened their gun laws and blocked efforts by the gun lobby to weaken existing laws, a number of states continue to drag their feet on gun safety measures, putting children in danger. "Our efforts to protect children from senseless gun violence are paying off," said Sarah Brady, chair of the Brady Campaign. "But nine child gun deaths per day nationwide is still nine too many. We need more governors and state legislatures to listen to their constituents and pass common-sense laws to protect kids, rather than react to the narrow special interests of the gun lobby. Working with the Million Mom March and grassroots activists in all 50 states, we'll continue fighting until not one child is lost to gun violence." Over the past five years, several states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon, have made gains in passing stronger laws. Three states - California, Oregon and Colorado - significantly improved their grades this year from last year. In Oregon and Colorado, voters passed citizen ballot initiatives to require Brady criminal background checks on all firearms purchases at gun shows after state lawmakers failed to act. Tellingly, in the past three years, voters in four states proved far more effective than their state legislatures at protecting children from gun violence through the ballot initiative process. 2001 also brought significant gains in California, where lawmakers approved landmark handgun safety licensing and registration reforms, and strengthened safe-storage requirements for guns. Despite these gains, 29 states received grades of D or F in this year's report card. Not surprisingly, many of these states have child and teen firearm death rates that are higher than the national average. For example, the average firearms death rate of youth in the seven states that received an F grade was 33 percent higher than the average firearms death rate for the 10 states that received an A or a B. Since the Brady Campaign began grading state gun laws five years ago, the number of young people killed by guns nationwide has dropped from an average of 16 per day to nine (based on the most recent available data). During the same period, the Centers for Disease Control reported a 37 percent reduction in the firearms death rate per 100,000 children and teens. --- GRADING CRITERIA Each state was carefully rated for the existence of seven types of legislation that protect children from gun violence, and also for the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of that legislation. The seven types of legislation include: 1) Juvenile Possession of Guns -- whether it is illegal for a juvenile to possess or own a firearm without parental permission or supervision. 2) Sale/Transfer of Guns to Juveniles -- whether it is illegal to sell a firearm to a juvenile or give a firearm to a juvenile without parental permission. 3) Safe Storage and Gun Owner Accountability -- whether adults are required to store their firearms responsibly and out of the reach of children, and whether there are penalties for leaving guns accessible to children. 4) Childproof Guns and Gun Design Safety -- whether guns must be sold with child-safety locks and/or include safety design features such as load indicators, magazine safety disconnects and restrictions on Saturday night special "junk" guns. 5) Local Government Authority to Regulate Guns - "Preemption" -- whether the state has made it illegal for cities to enact stricter gun control laws than exist in the state in general. For example, in 1995 the Georgia General Assembly pre-empted the city of Atlanta's attempts to more strictly regulate firearms, despite the fact that Atlanta led the nation in violent crime that year. Preemption has been a favorite legislative tool of the gun lobby. 6) Secondary "Private" Gun Sale Background Checks - whether the state requires a criminal background check or reporting of secondary (private) sales such as can occur at gun shows. 7) Carrying Concealed Weapons (CCW) -- whether individuals are allowed to carry loaded concealed guns and whether the police are forced to issue concealed carry permits or have some discretion to limit the carrying of concealed weapons in public. Grades may be raised or lowered based on whether a state sets strong limits or standards for issuing such permits and whether they recognize permits issued by other states. Additionally, states were awarded "extra credit" or demerits on other issues, ranging from the special legal immunity protection extended to the gun industry, to waiting periods and licensing requirements and additional measures related to reducing gun violence among young people. For specific reports for all 50 states, please visit the Brady Campaign Web site at http://www.bradycampaign.org.
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