87R4974 BPG-D
By: Blanco S.C.R. No. 8
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Gun violence in America is the leading cause of
death among children and teens and the 13th leading cause of death
among all ages; and
WHEREAS, Each year, more than 39,000 people in the United
States die as a result of gun violence, or about 109 every day,
according to the Centers for Disease Control National Center for
Injury Prevention and Control; tens of thousands more suffer gun
injuries that are nonfatal but too often prove life-changing; and
WHEREAS, In Texas, someone is killed with a gun every three
hours, and guns are the state's third-leading cause of death for
children aged 1 to 17; guns make domestic violence incidents far
more likely to end in fatalities, and more than 60 percent of
intimate partner homicides involve a firearm; and
WHEREAS, Guns are a significant danger to Texans suffering
from suicidal ideation; 60 percent of all suicides involve
firearms, and the percentage is even higher for veterans who commit
suicide; tragically, attempts of suicide by firearm in this country
result in death 85 percent of the time, compared to just three
percent for other methods, such as drug overdose; the vast majority
of people who survive an attempted suicide do not try again; and
WHEREAS, Capable of inflicting serious or deadly injuries on
many people in a short time, firearms have vast potential to amplify
violence; the nation saw 418 mass shootings in 2019 alone,
resulting in the deaths of more than 460 people and injury to over
1,700; Texas has witnessed numerous such incidents in recent years,
including the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting, which
claimed 26 lives and left 20 people wounded; the next year, a
17-year-old student killed 10 and injured 10 at Santa Fe High
School; 2019 brought even more devastation; in early August, a
gunman murdered 23 and wounded a further 23 at an El Paso Walmart,
and before the month was out, another shooter went on a rampage in
Midland-Odessa, murdering seven and injuring 25; and
WHEREAS, People who survive a firearm-related injury may
experience severe long-term consequences, ranging from paralysis
and other physical disabilities to problems with memory, thinking,
and emotions, as well as chronic mental health conditions such as
post-traumatic stress disorder; the effects of firearm violence
extend beyond victims and their families, and mass shooting
incidents can affect the sense of safety and security of entire
communities and impact everyday decisions; the National Center for
PTSD estimates that 28 percent of people who have witnessed a mass
shooting develop the illness, while about a third develop acute
stress disorder; incidents of mass violence have an enormous
behavioral health impact on most people, whether they are
survivors, witnesses, or exposed through mass media; moreover,
active shooter drills in schools, implemented widely in response to
mass shootings, are associated with increases in depression,
stress, anxiety, and physiological problems among students, their
teachers, and their parents; and
WHEREAS, The economic impact of firearm violence is
substantial as well; in 2015 alone, it cost the U.S. $229 billion;
gun violence imposes myriad burdens on society, including work
loss, medical and mental health care, emergency transportation,
police and criminal justice activities, insurance claims
processing, employer costs, and decreased quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Gun violence is not inevitable, as shown by other
wealthy nations with gun homicide rates vastly lower than ours; the
United States has a deeply rooted culture of gun violence that has
not received the same sustained, data-driven attention and
government investment as other public health problems, including
motor vehicle accidents and HIV/AIDS; in addressing those threats,
scientific research informed a comprehensive public health
response that dramatically shifted their trajectory; and
WHEREAS, The size, complexity, and grave social and economic
consequences of the gun violence epidemic demand a similarly
comprehensive, science-based approach; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby declare gun violence a public health crisis.