State Sen. Katherine Breakspear, D-Encinitas, and Sheriff Kelly Martinez announced legislation Friday aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of people experiencing mental health crises.
Senate Bill 1002 would give people who have just been discharged from a mental health facility a 72-hour window to surrender their firearms, ensuring that law enforcement can surrender firearms to those who are newly prohibited from owning a firearm. It fills what Breakspear called “gaps” in current law that make it difficult to do so. in.
“California has strong gun safety laws, but those laws are only as effective as their enforcement,” Breakspear said. “SB 1002 takes the next step in protecting Californians from gun violence by adding measures to ensure that people on mental health reservations can surrender their guns if necessary.”
Breakspear's office said Rep. Laurie Davis (R-Laguna Niguel) is a co-author of the bill, and Martinez and San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott are co-sponsors. .
More than 4,800 people across the state who are legally required to surrender their firearms due to mental health-related issues have not done so, according to data from the California Department of Justice.
SB 1002 also requires the state Department of Justice to inform people experiencing a mental health crisis about firearm prohibitions, strengthens coordination between the Department of Justice and local law enforcement, and requires the state Department of Justice to inform people in mental health crises about firearm bans, increase coordination between the Department of Justice and local law enforcement, and require the state Department of Justice to inform people in mental health crises about firearm bans, increase cooperation between the Department of Justice and local law enforcement, and require the state Department of Justice to inform people in mental health crises about firearm prohibitions. The purpose is to instruct individuals on how to surrender their weapons in accordance with the law. Local procedures and laws.
From 2017 to 21023, the Sheriff's Office investigated an average of 8,750 mental health hold cases each year and ensured follow-up when a person was in possession of a firearm. Officials say that in most cases, the person responds voluntarily.
“SB 1002 strengthens law enforcement's ability to use education and outreach to clarify what can be an overwhelming process, especially when individuals are recovering from serious mental health conditions. ” Martinez said. “The opportunity to close the service delivery gap with a compassionate approach is a step in the right direction.”
Under state law 5150, a person who is experiencing a mental health crisis and is essentially unable to care for themselves or who is considered a danger to themselves or others must be involuntarily removed from prison. You may be admitted to a medical facility for 72 hours.
Elliott said the problem of gun violence is “too big for any of us to solve in isolation.”
“We have learned from too many preventable gun deaths that strong laws are only effective if there is a system in place to enforce them,” she said.
“That's why I'm proud to co-sponsor SB 1002. SB 1002 will help keep deadly weapons out of the hands of people we have already determined pose a threat to themselves or others. We are focused on building a strong infrastructure,” she said. she said.
