Title
Urging Governor Josh Shapiro to establish an
Office of Gun Violence Prevention in Pennsylvania.
Body
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has consistently seen one
of the highest rates
of gun violence among major cities in the United States. In 2021, Philadelphia experienced over 500 homicides, the city's highest count in more than a decade, with the majority
of these deaths being attributed to
gun violence. Although Philadelphia has seen a 9% decline in
gun violence in 2023 compared to the same time in 2022, Philadelphia continues to face unacceptably high rates
of homicides and other firearm-related crimes; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania suffers from rates
of gun violence that far exceed those in neighboring states. In 2021, the Commonwealth experienced 14.8 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with only 5.8 in New York and 5.2 in New Jersey, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; and
WHEREAS, The frequency and severity
of gun violence in Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address this crisis. Therefore, it is imperative to establish a state
Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The OGVP would provide the framework for a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained effort to reduce
gun violence in Pennsylvania. It could also serve as a centralized body to coordinate and enhance the Commonwealth's efforts to prevent
gun violence, and could work in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and public health
officials to develop and implement evidence-based strategies to prevent
gun violence; and
WHEREAS, A Pennsylvania OGVP would also enhance the Commonwealth's coordination with federal efforts to reduce
gun violence through the newly established federal
Office of Gun Violence Prevention; and
WHEREAS, The establishment
of an
Office of Gun Violence Prevention would be ...
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