"The role of advocate
does not come easily
to many scientists. 
Yet often it is only
by taking on this role
that we can turn our
special knowledge
about the causes of
injury into public
policies that will
prevent injury."

--Susan Baker

Weaving Safety Nets for Injury Prevention.
Sound injury and violence prevention policy is part of the fabric required to create safety nets of injury prevention for all Californians.  Recently, in California, Governor Gray Davis signed several pieces of important injury and violence prevention legislation.

Bills Signed into Law include:

Children Left Unatttended in Vehicles
SB 255 (Speier) gives police officers the power to write a $100 ticket if they see a child alone unattended in a vehicle and the child is at significant risk; for example, if the engine is running or the keys are in the ignition.  California is now the 10th state to pass such a law. For more information see Kids N Cars website.

Gun Policy in California
SB 52 (Scott) and AB 35 (Shelley), both handgun safety license bills,
were signed by the Governor. While the bills are not
the earlier, more comprehensive licensing and registration bills that would have
significantly strengthened California’s gun laws, nevertheless, the bills represent a step in the right direction and help to set standards for safety training.

SB 950 (Brulte) was also signed by the Governor. This law will establish the online database that would cross-reference information about people who have ownership or possession of a gun on or after January 1, 1991 with information about people who have committed a crime or have a criminal history and are prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. This information will be accessible to Law Enforcement and enable them to retrieve inappropriately held guns. California has long prohibited from gun ownership the mentally ill, persons convicted of felonies and certain misdemeanors, including domestic violence, but it has been difficult for
law enforcement to know who these people are. This law will establish a system that will provide law enforcement with this crucial information.


For more information about these California bills, visit Leginfo


10/9/01

 

 


10-9-01