gun violence
Gun violence as a public health crisis explored by U.S. Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats on Tuesday discussed how to treat gun violence as a public health crisis, in hopes of building upon last year’s federal gun safety legislation. “Across the country, gun violence is a public health epidemic,” Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, the chairman of the committee, said in his opening remarks. […]
‘Nationwide gun emergency’ discussed by U.S. House Democrats at roundtable meeting
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats held a Monday roundtable forum on changing U.S. gun laws following a recent mass shooting in Maine, where 18 people were killed. The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, invited witnesses to discuss gun violence solutions, and said that the gun lobby industry, the National Rifle Association […]
White House calls for stronger gun policy reforms after Maine shooting
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called on Congress on Thursday to strengthen gun safety laws in the wake of the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine. Jean-Pierre opened Thursday’s press briefing with a statement on the shootings, saying President Joe Biden stepped out of a state dinner Wednesday night to receive an initial briefing on the […]
Ohio bill allowing guns in some government buildings may have significant loophole
A bill loosening gun laws in Ohio by allowing firearms in some government buildings may have a significant loophole that hurts domestic violence survivors, a WEWS/OCJ analysis discovered. Year after year, Ohio lawmakers have introduced legislation to expand gun rights. State Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) is the latest. “Our constituents are enthused on us standing […]
Democratic lieutenant governors, advocates, discuss solutions to prevent gun violence
WASHINGTON — Six lieutenant governors from across the country joined gun violence prevention advocates to share their stories and offer solutions at a policy discussion event Tuesday. The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association hosted the gun violence prevention policy summit, which was the first event of its kind. The DLGA partnered with the gun violence prevention […]
Biden administration to create new gun violence prevention office
WASHINGTON — The White House Thursday announced the formation of an Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will help states and local governments as they implement a gun safety legislative package President Joe Biden signed into law last year. Lacking additional action in Congress to curb gun violence, “the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along […]
DeWine announces second full-scale crime gun intelligence center in Ohio
In an effort to curb gun violence, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Tuesday. CGIC launched this summer and is housed within the Ohio Department of Public Safety. It operates in partnership with Columbus Division of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio Attorney General’s […]
Despite rise in child deaths, Ohio lawmakers won’t allow for gun safety laws
Ohio is seeing an increase in shooting deaths for children and teens, but state lawmakers refuse to put forward gun safety laws and won’t let cities enact their own either. Across Ohio, big city leaders are pleading to state lawmakers. “Do something about the guns flooding our streets,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said during a […]
Gun law raises funding concerns for school hunting programs
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers are concerned that the Biden administration is interpreting last year’s bipartisan gun safety law to cut funding for school archery and hunting programs, though programs themselves say they haven’t been affected. A provision in the law – a bipartisan effort to curb gun violence that established new criminal offenses, and expanded background […]
“No shooting death is just a number,” Ohioans call for common gun sense
Ohioans across the political spectrum want common sense guns laws. A recent Suffolk University/USA Today poll shows 92% of Ohioans want mandatory background checks for firearm purchases — including 99% Democrats and 88% Republicans. But instead, the Republican-controlled Statehouse has loosened gun laws. “Let’s call a spade a spade,” said Ohio House Minority Leader Allison […]
Cities have ways to curb gun violence; feds are giving them more money
When shots ring out on the South and West sides of Chicago, Sam Castro and his team at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago race to the scene of the shooting and to the hospital where emergency responders are treating the gunshot victim. Knowing most of the city’s gun violence is caused by a small cluster […]
Cincinnati wants to require residents to lock up their guns and is suing the state to make it happen
As Cincinnati’s lawsuit against Ohio to allow for them to create their own gun safety regulations is being heard in a state court, Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to make guns safer. Cincinnati has a plan for reducing gun violence. “A trigger lock can be the difference between life and death for a child or a […]