Sponsored by:

Senator TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

Designates June of each year as "Gun Violence Awareness Month."

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee on June 13, 2024, with amendments.

A Joint Resolution designating June of each year as "Gun Violence Awareness Month."

Whereas, Firearm violence has become an epidemic in the United States and the effects of gun violence have a devastating effect on society; and

Whereas, According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in ¹[2019] 2022¹, there were ¹[39,707] 48,117¹ firearm-related deaths in the United States; and

Whereas, That amounted to about ¹[109] 135¹ people dying from a firearm-related injury each day; and

Whereas, ¹[Six out of every 10 deaths were firearm] In 2022, more than half of firearm-related deaths were¹ suicides and more than ¹[three] four¹ out of every 10 deaths were firearm homicides; and

Whereas, Americans are ¹[25] 26¹ times more likely to be murdered with firearms than people in other developed countries; and

Whereas, Firearm violence is the leading cause of death for women in instances of domestic violence in the United States each year; and

Whereas, ¹[An estimated 1,500 children die annually] In 2020, an estimated 2,281 children died¹ as a result of firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence; and

Whereas, Firearm violence has a detrimental effect on communities within the United States as a result of increased healthcare costs, criminal justice costs, costs to employers of having to obtain and train other employees to cover for workers who are unable to work due to serious firearm-related bodily injury or death, and lost income of workers who are victims of ¹[firearms] firearm¹ violence and unable to continue working; and

Whereas, In fact, according to a 2018 report by the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, these four measurable costs associated with gun violence amount to an estimated ¹[$1.2] $1.3¹ billion per year in New Jersey alone; and

Whereas, Communities suffer additional costs such as lost business opportunities, neighborhood flight due to people feeling less safe, and lowered property values; and

Whereas, Support for the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens goes hand in hand with keeping firearms away from dangerous people; and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey encourages all citizens to support their local communities' efforts to prevent the tragic effects of firearm violence and declares the month of June of every year as

"Gun Violence Awareness Month" in this State to honor and remember all victims and survivors of firearm violence; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The month of June of each year is designated as "Gun Violence Awareness Month" in New Jersey.

2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation and call upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of this State to observe "Gun Violence Awareness Month" with appropriate awareness activities and programs.

3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.