Gun safety

Balancing the protection of Second Amendment rights with the need for reduced gun violence and deaths.

Image courtesy of Maxim Hopman.

The courage of "&" in preventing preventable deaths

Utahns value the Second Amendment and the rightful ability of law-abiding individuals to protect themselves and their families. At the same time, gun violence in the United States occurs at rates over 25 to 30 times higher than developed, peer nations. These disparities show that gun violence is not inherent and can be managed and contained.

The courage of "&" means defending constitutional rights, like those of legally-armed citizens such as Alex Pretti, while also pursuing serious, evidence-informed reforms to reduce the excessive gun deaths and mass shootings that harm communities.

Financial security

The cost of gun violence in the U.S. is estimated to be over $500 billion dollars annually, equaling around 2.6% of GDP. Healthcare costs from nonfatal shootings, lost wages from victims and caregivers, increased insurance premiums, and law enforcement and legal system expenses all strain public and private finances.

Human dignity

Every death and injury from gun violence is a human tragedy affecting loved ones and communities. In the U.S., firearms contribute to homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries at rates far above other developed countries, making guns a leading cause of death among children and teens. While mental illness affects many Americans, the vast majority of people living with mental health conditions are not violent, and focusing solely on mental illness obscures the broader drivers of gun violence. Human dignity requires policies aimed at reducing unnecessary loss of life, protecting individual safety, and duly supporting those with mental health challenges without stigmatizing them.

Real solutions

• Strengthen background checks and reporting systems: Enhance background check completeness and timeliness, including better integration of state and federal records, to help prevent firearms from reaching prohibited purchasers without infringing on lawful ownership.

  
  

• Protect legal firearm ownership while addressing high-risk use: Safeguard the right of law-abiding citizens to own and carry firearms legally, while implementing risk-based tools that help prevent violence when credible threats emerge, such as extreme risk protection orders.

• Limit public access to high-lethality weapon configurations: Restrict civilian access to firearms and accessories designed to dramatically increase rate of fire or mass-casualty potential, such as bump stocks and similar rapid-fire modifications, while preserving the rights of law-abiding citizens to own firearms for self-defense, hunting, and sport.

  
  

• Promote safe storage and community education: Encourage responsible firearm practices through voluntary safe-storage initiatives, public education on risk reduction, and partnerships with gun owners to prevent unauthorized access to weapons by children or persons at imminent risk of harm.

  
  

• Expand crisis intervention and mental health support: Broaden access to mental health care and crisis intervention services as part of a comprehensive safety strategy, recognizing that suicide prevention, community supports, and timely treatment are critical components of violence reduction.

  
  

• Support research and evidence-informed policy design: Lift barriers to public health research on gun violence so policymakers have better data to evaluate what works, drawing on rigorous evidence from both U.S. and international experiences to protect both lives and liberties.