Chair of Assembly Public Safety Committee Joins Governor As Resolution Co-Author Seeking 28th Amendment to U.S. Constitution

SACRAMENTO, California – (June 8, 2023) – California State Assemblymember, Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), has co-authored a resolution that seeks to add a 28^th Amendment to the United States Constitution and requests a constitutional convention be held to initiate debate, vote, and ratification on the proposed amendment. The Governor has announced the move to enshrine into our national framework an amendment that deals with gun control issues at the state level.

“I am proud to introduce this resolution to protect the commonsense gun reform legislation our Assembly Public Safety Committee has championed over the years,” said Jones-Sawyer. “We cannot stand idly by while courts roll back our work and diminish the ability of our Legislature to keep Californians safe. This bold but fair resolution calls on other states to join us in protecting some of the most effective ways of reducing gun violence.”

The California Joint Resolution calls for the convening of states to adopt minimum requirements and prohibitions on gun possession including, but not limited to, universal background checks, a ban on sales and transfers of firearms to anyone under the age of 21, a minimum wait period, and the prohibition of possession of assault styled weapons or weapons of war.

“We believe a majority of states will join us in protecting American lives from unnecessary tragedies by protecting the Second Amendment while adopting specific guidelines states can use to self-determine gun laws,” added the Assemblymember. “This is long overdue, and I am proud that California is once again leading the national conversation on guns in America and taking action."

A total of 34 states, or 2/3rds of the union, is needed to trigger a constitutional convention.

California has suffered through 23 mass shootings in 2023 that claimed 50 lives. Nationally the numbers are much more devastating with 286 mass shootings in the first five months of this year.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, six of the top states with mass shootings are Republican lead and include Texas and Florida.

The last Amendment to the Constitution was the 27^th, which was ratified in 1992, and deals with Congressional compensation.

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ABOUT

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer represents the communities of the 57^th Assembly District, which includes downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row, Exposition Park, and portions of South Los Angeles. The Assemblymember also serves as the Chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee and as an appointed member of the California Reparations Task Force.