Governor Gavin Newsom launched this Monday gunsafety.ca.gov, a website that provides critical information on how Californians can use gun violence restraining orders to help protect their loved ones, as well as the new state law that allows victims of gun violence to sue those who distribute illegal guns.
The new website, one of the most comprehensive on gun safety in the nation, also features multilingual resources to help Californians prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from gun violence.
The website launch coincides with National Gun Violence Awareness Month and comes on the heels of Wear Orange Weekend, which honors the 40,000 people who lose their lives to gun violence and the thousands more who are shot and injured each year.
“California is taking aggressive and relentless action to end the unbearable tragedy of gun violence. While other states remain complacent in the face of recurring and heartbreaking tragedies, California is making it easier than ever to access common-sense tools like Gun Violence Restraining Orders to protect our communities,” said Gavin Newsom.
It is worth noting that all resources on the website have been translated into the eight most commonly spoken languages in California: English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog/Filipino, Korean, and Armenian.
The new website is part of an $11 million statewide campaign announced last year, administered by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, to raise awareness, educate the public and explain the steps required to obtain a Gun Violence Restraining Order.
In California, Gun Violence Restraining Orders were used to prevent 58 threatened mass shootings between 2016 and 2019 and have shown immense promise in reducing suicides.
A gun violence restraining order, or GVRO, is a temporary action taken by a local court when someone is at risk of or causing harm to themselves or others.
The person in crisis subject to the order cannot purchase or possess firearms or ammunition while the order is in effect. These temporary orders empower Californians to intervene, while protecting the rights of people in crisis, and are not considered punishments under the law.
Californians can learn more about who can file for a gun violence restraining order, how to file, and access other available resources at GunSafety.ca.gov.
In 2022, the governor signed legislation allowing Californians to sue those who manufacture, sell, transport or distribute illegal assault weapons and ghost guns — weapons made at home to avoid tracing — for damages of at least $10,000 per weapon involved.
Similarly, legislation was enacted that allows state, local governments and Californians to sue irresponsible gun manufacturers.
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