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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2013-011RESOLUTION NO. 2013-011 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA IN SUPPORT OF THE FIX GUN CHECKS ACT AND OTHER MEASURES TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE WHEREAS, this resolution calls on the federal government to reduce gun violence in America and help prevent future mass shootings through passage of the Fix Gun Checks Act and legislation that would keep military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines off our streets and would make gun trafficking a federal crime; and WHEREAS, the Fix Gun Checks Act would require a background check for every gun sale and ensure that all criminals and other dangerous people who are prohibited from buying guns aze listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); and WHEREAS, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System is an effective tool to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other dangerous individuals, and this system has blocked 1.9 million illegal gun purchases and permit applications in the past two decades; and WHEREAS, despite this success, legal loopholes and missing records that enable too many dangerous individuals to obtain weapons they later use in crimes undermine the System; and WHEREAS, the NICS database can be more effectively used when state and federal agencies report the records of persons with dangerous mental illness; and WHEREAS, on April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, whose records of mental health states were missing from the NICS, shot and killed 32 people at Virginia Tech with legally purchased guns; and WHEREAS, on January 8, 2011, Jazed Loughner, whose reported history of drug abuse and serious mental illness should have been in the NICS database but was not, killed six Tucsonans -Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, Judge John Roll, Dorwan Stoddazd, Phyllis Schneck, and Gabe Zimmerman -and shot 13 others, including U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords; and WHEREAS, on July 20, 2012, James Holmes, using asemi-automatic rifle and other guns, allegedly shot and killed 12 people and injured at least 58 others in a movie theater in Aurora, CO, using some of the thousands of rounds of ammunition that recently purchased online without any background check; and WHEREAS, on August 5, 2012, Wade Michael Page, using asemi-automatic handgun, allegedly shot and killed 6 people and injured 3 others at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, WI; and Resolution No. 2013-011 Page No. 2 WHEREAS, on October 21, 2012, Radcliffe Haughton, using asemi-automatic handgun, shot and killed his estranged wife and two others; and although a restraining order issued against Haughton made prohibited him under federal law from purchasing a gun, avoided a background check and purchased this gun from a private seller through armslist.com; and WHEREAS, in the wake of the Newtown shootings on December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza, using two semi-automatic handguns, shot and killed 27 people, including 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementazy School; and WHEREAS, in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, Virginia and other states submitted hundreds of thousands of new mental health records into the NICS database, yet 19 states have each submitted fewer than 100 mental health records since that massacre; and WHEREAS, federal law mandates licensed gun dealers to conduct NICS checks before proceeding with a sale, but this requirement does not apply to so-called private sellers present in large numbers at gun shows and who sell guns over the Internet; and WHEREAS, it is estimated that 6.6 million guns were sold privately in the U.S. between November 2011 and November 2012, and undercover investigations show that private sellers at gun shows and online proceed with sales even when they are made awaze that prospective purchasers cannot pass background checks; and WHEREAS, more than 12,000 Americans are murdered with guns every yeaz, and too many of these crimes aze committed by individuals who aze barred from purchasing or possessing guns under Federal law; and WHEREAS, other tragedies, including the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado, the 2010 attack on law enforcement at the Pentagon and the 2012 mass shooting at a Pittsburgh psychiatric clinic were perpetrated by individuals who obtained guns through unregulated private sales with no paperwork required and no questions asked; and WHEREAS, the Fix Gun Checks Act introduced in the U.S. Congress would address the two major flaws in the nation's gun background check system by improving compliance with federal record reporting requirements and by requiring background checks for all U.S. gun sales; and WHEREAS, 90 percent of Americans and 90 percent of gun owners support fixing gaps in the gun background check database, and 86 percent of Americans, 82 percent of gun owners nationwide and 74 percent of NRA members support mandatory criminal background checks for all gun sales; and WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista is a strong advocate for common-sense policies that keep guns out of dangerous hands while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and strongly believes that Congress and state governments should take action to close deadly gaps in the NICS; and Resolution No. 2013-011 Page No. 3 WHEREAS, more than 50 national organizations support closing gaps in the gun background check database and requiring a background check for all gun sales, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Urban League, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the Police Executive Research Forum; and WHEREAS, the Fix Gun Checks Act is strongly supported by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a national, bipartisan coalition of more than 800 mayors, who represent more than 58 million Americans. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Chula Vista seeks increased reporting of mental health and other relevant records into the NICS database, and that the City of Chula Vista Mayor and City Council requests the City Clerk transmit this resolution to all members of California's Congressional Delegation, and to the Obama administration. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chula Vista urges immediate passage of the Fix Gun Checks Act in the United States Congress. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chula Vista urges immediate passage of legislation that would get military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines away from our community and especially our schools. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chula Vista urges immediate passage of legislation that would make gun trafficking a federal crime. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chula Vista, echoing the call of gun violence survivors and family members, calls on both President Obama and the U.S. Congress to put in place concrete reforms to reduce gun violence nationwide and help prevent future mass shootings. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Chula Vista Mayor and City Council join domestic violence prevention advocates, faith leaders, law enforcement officials, and other elected officials in making clear that failure to strengthen gun laws at the national level will continue to fuel gun violence in big and small cities throughout the country. Presented by `' V Cheryl Cox Mayor Approved as to form by Glen R. Googi s City omey Resolution No. 2013-011 Page No. 4 PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista, California, this 15th day of January 2013 by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers: Aguilar, Bensoussan, Ramirez, Salas and Cox NAYS: Councilmembers: None ABSENT: Councilmembers: None CI ~(+~u-~--~-,4-L~ Cheryl Cox, yor ATTEST: tom- O onna R. Norris, CMC, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO CITY OF CHULA VISTA I, Donna R. Norris, City Clerk of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 2013-011 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a regular meeting of the Chula Vista City Council held on the 15th day of January 2013. Executed this 15th day of January 2013. ~~~ ~ Donna R. Norris, CMC, City Clerk