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Home My WebLink About1994-01-11 - AGENDA REPORTS - LOCAL REGULATE SALE FIREARMS (2)NEW BUSINESS DATE: SUBJECT: AGENDA REPORT ®,IIKIM ' be presented by: Councilmember Heidt January 11, 1994 Local Authority to Regulate the use and Sale of Firearms DEPARTMENT, City Council BACKGROUND As member of Los Angeles Elected Women Against Violence, Councilmember Heidt received a letter dated December 1, 1993 from West Hollywood City Councilmember requesting other local governments to adopt a resolution. The resolution urges the California Legislature to grant local government the right to override state laws regulating the sale and use of firearmes is cases where local government regulations would be more stringent. Councilmember Heidt requests that the Members of the City Council review the City of West Hollywood's December 6, 1993 agenda report and resolution. RECOMMENDATION Discuss the City of West Hollywood's December 6, 1993 agenda report and resolution relative to local authorities regulate the use and sale of firearms. ATTACHMENTS December 1, 1993 letter from West Hollywood Councilmember Abbe Land December 6, 1993 Agenda Report from West Hollywood West Hollywood Resolution Continued To: SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 ;11-30-93 ;10:01AM t 2136529930-+ 805 259 8125;31 2 City of West Hollywood City Council December 1, 1993 Dear L.A. Elected women Against violence Member: On December 6 at our regular City Council meeting, I will introduce the enclosed resolution urging the California Legislature to grant local governments the right to override state laws regulating the sale and use of firearms in those cases where local government regulations would be more stringent. I have called a press conference on December 6 at 5:30 P.M. It will be held at West Hollywood Park Auditorium (647 N. San Vicente Blvd.-- between Melrose and Santa Monica Blvds.). I would very much like for you to take part. At the press conference, we will discuss the fact that L.A. County Elected Women Against Violence members will play a leading role in this effort to give local government greater ability to deal with firearm violence, and that our members will also be initiating other firearm and violence control measures. You may wish to introduce a similar resolution in your Information If so, please let me know so that the information can be included in our press packet. Also, if you are participating in or initiating other violence control measures, don't hesitate to send me information about what you're doing, and the media will receive it. I would appreciate your RSVP as soon as possible so that I can let the media know who will be attending. Please call my office and speak with Deanna Stevenson (310) 854-7426 regarding your availability and any questions you might have. Kindest regards, Abbe Land SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 11-30-93 ;10;02AM 2136529930 805 259 8125;# 3 NEW BUSINESS: DECEMBER 6, 1993 SUBJECT: RESOLUTION URGING THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TO GRANT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE USE AND SALE OF FIREARMS WITHIN WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTIONS INITIATED BY: MAYOR PRO TEMPORE ABBE LAND (Deanna Stevenson)' The sale and use of firearms, as well as the treatment of those wounded by them, impacts the citizens of our State through the imposition of taxes, the pain of personal loss, and the creation of a climate of fear that pervades our. communities and neighborhoods. Currently the authority of the State Legislature supercedes that of local government in regard to regulating the sale and use of firearms. This resolution would help to catalyze efforts by the State Legislature to provide local governmental agencies with mechanisms to deal with firearm violence. It calls for the State to permit local goverments the authority to regulate the sale and use of firearms only in the instance where the local governmental entity wishes to establish more stringent laws than those adopted by the Legislature. RECOMMENDATIONS: * Approve the attached resolution, RESOLUTION NO , A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WE=OLLYWOOD URGING THE CALIIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TO GRANT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE USE AND SALE OF FIREARMS IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS; * Authorize the City to take the load on this issue, and to work with local and state elected officials --including the 40 women legislators who attended the Women's summit Against Violence and are members of L.A. County Elected Women for Violence Reduction --to create a campaign to have this Initiative and other gun regulation initiatives passed by the State Legislature. * Provide information on City Channels 10 and 6 about the importance of gun control. SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 ;11-30-93 10:02AM 21365299304 805 259 81254 4 BACKGROUND: The figures on firearm use and violence have reached shameful proportions. In Los Angeles County alone, the proliferation and use of firearms have reached an alarming state, as is indicated by the following statistics: . There are approximately 2 million guns in Los Angeles County; In 1990, Los Angeles County tax payers spent $53 million to care for gunshot victims; . In 1991, a record 1,554 people were killed with firearms in Los Angeles County; Martin Luther King, Jr./Drew Medical Center treats some 3,864 gunshot victims per year. Nationwide our County, and in many cases southern California as a whole, has gained a reputation as an unsafe place in which to do business and reside. The picture painted by the national media that gang violence is proliferating in California has exerted a major impact on tourism. No community in our state is safe from firearm violence. Even West Hollywood, with its relatively good crime record, is reporting a higher than usual incidence of crime and violence associated with the use, or threat of the use, of firearms. Recently the Los Angeles Times courageously initiated a series of articles calling for a ban on the utilization of handguns to deal with the ever increasing cycle of violence in our state. The attached Resolution is, in part, a response to that series of articles. Many experts in our country, and a plurality of our citizens, now agree that firearm violence must be faced as an issue of great concern, and eradicated. Stringent reulation of the sale and use of firearms is an effective way to accomplish that goal. Even if progress on this issue is not accomplished in a day, the eventual reduction of firearm violence, and, hopefully its eradication, is worth the effort. The City of West Hollywood, in conjunction with the elected officials who are members of the group L.A. County Elected Women for Violence Reduction, and other elected officials and community leaders, has the opportunity through this resolution and subsequent actions to call attention to the pressing need to deal with gun control. We have the responsibility to address the concerns of citizens who decry what is happening in our school systems, on our city streets, and, in what should be, the safety of our homes. SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 ;11-30-93 ;10:03AM ; 2136529930 805 259 8125;# 5 Passage of this resolution is a step which, ultimately, could lead to the reduction of crime and tragedy in the City of west Hollywood, our County, and our state. As part of -its gun controls efforts, the City should also advocate for the presage of the anti -violence bills attached to this agenda item, which include efforts to reduce the sale of ammunition, regulation of gun dealerships, the prohibition on spousal abusers from owning firearms, and many others. The City can continue to work with such groups as the L.A. Count Elected Women for Violence Reduction toward the passage of these anti -violence initiatives. None. SENT BY:Xerox, Telecopier 7021 11-30-93 ;10:03AM RESOLUTION NO. 21365299304 805 259 8125;# 6 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD URGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO GRANT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE USE AND SALE OF FIREARMS WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTIONS WHEREAS: the sale and use of firearms profoundly contributes to the climate of violence and crime in our City, our County, and our State. WHEREAS: violence arising from the use, or threat of the use of firearms impacts all of our communities, making them less safe places in which to live and do business; and WHEREAS: this violence impacts the economy of our communities our County, and our State by making it necessary to expend millions of dollars of taxes for emergency room and other hospital care; and WHEREAS: the occurrence of this violence necessitates the hiring of increasing numbers of law enforcement officers and others to deal with the prevention of hand -gun violence and its effects; and WHEREAS: this violence severely affects young people in our schools, women, the elderly our friends, and our families, many of whom are innocent victims; and WHEREAS: this is a turning point in our communities, in our County and State, and our citizens are calling for gun control and an and to violence; and WHEREAS: local goverments should have the ability to regulate the use and sale of firearms in the instance that they should desire to enact more stringent laws than those adopted by the State Legislature; NOW THEREFORE: the City Council of the City of West Hollywood does hereby adopt this resolution, which is in keeping with the Cit 's oals to protect the well-being and quality of life i s citizens, and to assure their safety. The City agrees to take a leadership position on the issue of gun violence and to work with other elected officials, including the women who are members of L. A. Elected Women for Violence Reduction, and school and community leaders in order to create effective ways by which firearm violence can be eradicated. SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 ;11-30-93 ;10:04AM 2136529930 - Adopted thin 6th day of December, 1993. Attest: City Clark ayor 805 259 8125;# 7