Arizona 2025 Regular Session

Arizona House Bill HR2002 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/16/2025

                            REFERENCE TITLE: gun violence; public health crisis             State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025           HR 2002           Introduced by  Representatives Sandoval: Abeytia, Aguilar, Austin, Blattman, Cavero, Contreras L, Garcia, Liguori, Mathis, Peshlakai, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Tsosie, Villegas; Senators Kuby, Miranda, Ortiz                    A RESOLUTION   declaring gun violence a public health crisis in Arizona.     (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)   

 

 

 

REFERENCE TITLE: gun violence; public health crisis
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HR 2002
Introduced by  Representatives Sandoval: Abeytia, Aguilar, Austin, Blattman, Cavero, Contreras L, Garcia, Liguori, Mathis, Peshlakai, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Tsosie, Villegas; Senators Kuby, Miranda, Ortiz

REFERENCE TITLE: gun violence; public health crisis

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

2025

 

 

 

HR 2002

 

Introduced by 

Representatives Sandoval: Abeytia, Aguilar, Austin, Blattman, Cavero, Contreras L, Garcia, Liguori, Mathis, Peshlakai, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton, Tsosie, Villegas; Senators Kuby, Miranda, Ortiz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A RESOLUTION

 

declaring gun violence a public health crisis in Arizona.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

 Whereas, the United States is in the midst of a troubling crime wave. 2019 to 2020 saw the single largest year-to-year increase in murders in our nation's history, a trend that continued into 2021. Nonfatal shootings and other aggravated assaults have also dramatically increased in many jurisdictions; and Whereas, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record; and Whereas, gun violence is a daily scourge that threatens our most fundamental right: the right to life. More than 600 people die every day as a result of firearms violence, which is driven in part by easy access to firearms; and Whereas, gun ownership is consistently correlated with rates of firearm suicides, homicides and accidental shootings; and Whereas, Americans are 25 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than residents of high-income peer countries; and Whereas, the American Medical Association has formally recognized gun violence as a public health crisis; and Whereas, firearms cause devastating injuries that result in lasting consequences on physical and mental health for individuals, families and communities. Some gunshot victims need intensive, lifelong care. Others may lose their ability to work. Many have little or no access to programs that offer adequate long-term care and rehabilitation; and Whereas, the impact of gun violence extends beyond physical injuries and fatalities, including emotional trauma, economic burdens and long-lasting suffering for affected individuals and their families; and Whereas, beginning in 2014, firearm death rates began significantly increasing in Arizona; and Whereas, gun violence is one of the leading causes of death in both adults and children in this state; and Whereas, in 2020 alone, 1,265 Arizonans were killed due to firearms; and Whereas, in 2022, according to Arizona's child fatality review, firearm deaths surpassed drug overdoses and car accidents as the number one cause of death of children 15 to 17 years of age; and Whereas, our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and end the epidemic of gun violence and gun deaths. Therefore Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona: That the Members of the House of Representatives declare gun violence a public health crisis in this state. 

Whereas, the United States is in the midst of a troubling crime wave. 2019 to 2020 saw the single largest year-to-year increase in murders in our nation's history, a trend that continued into 2021. Nonfatal shootings and other aggravated assaults have also dramatically increased in many jurisdictions; and

Whereas, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record; and

Whereas, gun violence is a daily scourge that threatens our most fundamental right: the right to life. More than 600 people die every day as a result of firearms violence, which is driven in part by easy access to firearms; and

Whereas, gun ownership is consistently correlated with rates of firearm suicides, homicides and accidental shootings; and

Whereas, Americans are 25 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than residents of high-income peer countries; and

Whereas, the American Medical Association has formally recognized gun violence as a public health crisis; and

Whereas, firearms cause devastating injuries that result in lasting consequences on physical and mental health for individuals, families and communities. Some gunshot victims need intensive, lifelong care. Others may lose their ability to work. Many have little or no access to programs that offer adequate long-term care and rehabilitation; and

Whereas, the impact of gun violence extends beyond physical injuries and fatalities, including emotional trauma, economic burdens and long-lasting suffering for affected individuals and their families; and

Whereas, beginning in 2014, firearm death rates began significantly increasing in Arizona; and

Whereas, gun violence is one of the leading causes of death in both adults and children in this state; and

Whereas, in 2020 alone, 1,265 Arizonans were killed due to firearms; and

Whereas, in 2022, according to Arizona's child fatality review, firearm deaths surpassed drug overdoses and car accidents as the number one cause of death of children 15 to 17 years of age; and

Whereas, our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and end the epidemic of gun violence and gun deaths.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona:

That the Members of the House of Representatives declare gun violence a public health crisis in this state.