From left: Law Center board member and cofounder James Fousekis, former Assemblymember Nancy Skinner,
legal director Julie Leftwich, and board president Steve Smith. Photo courtesy of the Berkeley Times.
The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence was thrilled to honor retired California Assemblymember Nancy Skinner last Thursday evening. Friends and supporters gathered at the East Bay home of Law Center board member and co-founder James Fousekis, where Law Center legal director Julie Leftwich presented Skinner with an award for her years of work fighting for smart gun laws in the California state legislature.
Because of leaders like Skinner, and the efforts of the Law Center, California has some of the best gun laws in the country, earning at A- on our annual Gun Law State Scorecard. It also boasts one of the lowest gun death rates in the country, demonstrating the strong correlation between smart gun laws and reduced gun violence.
In 2014, Skinner introduced California’s landmark Gun Violence Restraining Order bill, which became law last October. The first of its kind, the GVRO law empowers families to petition the court to temporarily prohibit loved ones who pose a threat to themselves or others from possessing guns. The bill was introduced in response to last summer’s tragic shooting in Isla Vista—the shooter’s parents had warned law enforcement that their son was dangerous, but police had no legal means to prevent the shooter from purchasing the guns that would ultimately kill six and wound 13. Skinner’s GVRO law will help prevent future shootings like this from occurring, and is already being looked at as a model for states around the country.
Learn more about California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order law.
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