Gov. Newsom applauds President Biden's gun violence reduction efforts

California Governor Gavin Newsom Tuesday applauded President Joe Biden's efforts to reduce gun violence during his recent visit to Monterey Park. The Governor welcomed the newly announced federal executive actions aimed at making schools, streets, and communities safer. 

Governor Newsom emphasized that it was time for Congress to step up on the issue. 

Recent statistics show California was ranked the number one state for gun safety by the Giffords Law Center. In 2021, the state witnessed a 37% lower gun death rate than the national average, demonstrating the effectiveness of its gun safety laws.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, California's gun death rate was the 44th lowest in the nation, with 8.5 gun deaths per 100,000 people. This figure was significantly lower than the national average of 13.7 deaths per 100,000. Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas had much higher gun death rates, with 28.6, 20.7, and 14.2 deaths per 100,000, respectively.

Last summer, Newsom signed a package of gun safety laws, making it easier for Californians to sue manufacturers of illegal assault weapons and those spreading them. The laws also allow lawsuits against irresponsible gun industry members, strengthen prohibitions on ghost guns, and restrict marketing to minors.

Additionally, California has launched an 18-month campaign to promote gun violence restraining orders or "red flag laws." These laws allow law enforcement, family members, coworkers, or friends to petition a court to temporarily remove weapons from people deemed dangerous to themselves or others.

 A study by the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, found that California's red flag law has stopped 58 threatened mass shootings since 2016.