Oakland March photo Adena Ishii

Assembly Bill  2497, the School Gun Violence Prevention Act, was introduced recently by Assembly Member  Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) and is active in a committee. It would fund additional resources at middle and high schools to prevent gun-related violence.  In particular, it would fund a school service that would be responsible for noting threats early-on and counseling to resolve the issues.

The bill includes grant opportunities for law enforcement to create school resources officer programs at high schools.  All middle and high schools would be required to have a counselor whose major role is to seek out signs of threats.

Funding the program would come from a sales tax on firearms and related equipment.  Opponents object to this sales tax, however, as it places the burden on a single group of citizens.

The bill continues to go forward through committee hearings in the California Assembly https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2497.

The League strongly supports an array of gun control measures and California has a strong group of gun control measures. This measure could strengthen these measures by helping our students at their school. This bill continues to be discussed, so email your Assembly Member or wait for a forthcoming report at this website.

Christine Wenrich,

secretary@lwvbae.org

3/24/18

Part of a continuing series on policing and gun control