California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act, a landmark measure that would tax the gun industry to create a permanent funding source for school safety and gun violence prevention programs in California. Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, Assembly Bill (AB) 28 will impose an 11 percent excise tax on the sale of guns and ammunition by gun manufacturers and dealers and is expected to generate $160 million annually to fund school safety and violence prevention programs, including initiatives to prevent mass shootings, bolster firearm investigations, and remove guns from domestic abusers.
“AB 28 is based on a straightforward premise – that we should prioritize the safety of our kids over gun industry profits,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, the author of AB 28 and Chair of the Legislature’s Gun Violence Working Group. “It’s shameful that gun manufacturers are reaping record profits at the same time that gun violence has become the leading cause of death for kids in the United States. AB 28 will generate $160 million annually to fund critical violence prevention and school safety programs that will save lives and protect communities across the State of California. I am deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for signing AB 28 and for his outstanding national leadership in addressing gun violence.”
AB 28 is a top national priority for the gun safety movement and was strongly supported by all of the major gun safety organizations, including Giffords, Moms Demand Action, Everytown, Brady, and March for Our Lives.
“Thank you to Governor Gavin Newsom, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, and thousands of community leaders across California for putting the safety of the people above the gun industry’s profits,” said Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.