Bill Summary
The "Local Gun Violence Reduction Act" is a legislative proposal that aims to establish a comprehensive database managed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This database will collect and maintain information from state and local governments regarding laws and ordinances enacted to reduce gun violence.
Key components of the Act include:
1. **Database Creation**: Within one year of enactment, the CDC will set up a database where state and local governments can input data about their gun violence prevention laws and their effectiveness.
2. **Information Requirements**: Governments must provide details including the size of the jurisdiction, enactment and effective dates of the laws, and statistics on gun violence rates before and after these laws were implemented.
3. **Public Access**: The database will be accessible to all state and local units of government, allowing for shared learning and collaboration on gun violence strategies.
4. **Outreach and Education**: The Secretary will undertake efforts to promote awareness of the database among state and local governments encouraging them to contribute data and utilize the information available.
5. **Reporting to Congress**: Starting two years post-enactment, the Secretary will submit biannual reports to Congress detailing the database's usage, trends in submissions, successful laws, and participation levels across different regions.
6. **Funding**: The Act authorizes appropriations of $1.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $1 million for each subsequent year to support the establishment and maintenance of the database.
In summary, this legislation seeks to create a structured approach to collecting and analyzing data on local gun violence laws, thereby aiding in the formulation of more effective strategies to reduce gun violence across the United States.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Local Gun Violence Reduction Act" could affect people:
1. **Informed Policy Making**: By creating a centralized database of local gun violence prevention laws and their effectiveness, state and local governments can access evidence-based data to inform their policymaking. This could lead to more effective laws being enacted, potentially reducing gun violence and enhancing community safety. For example, if a city learns that a specific ordinance significantly reduced gun violence in a neighboring area, they may adopt similar measures, improving safety for residents.
2. **Increased Accountability and Transparency**: The requirement for local governments to submit data on their gun violence laws promotes accountability. Communities could hold their local officials responsible for the effectiveness of their policies, fostering a greater demand for action to reduce gun violence. This transparency might lead to public discussions and advocacy for more effective laws, encouraging community engagement and involvement in local governance.
3. **Resource Allocation and Support**: The outreach efforts by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to encourage participation in the database could lead to increased resources and support for local governments. By identifying successful laws and ordinances, the federal government may allocate funding or resources to areas with high gun violence rates to help them implement effective measures. This could directly impact communities by providing them with the necessary tools and support to address gun violence more effectively.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4883 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4883
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and
maintain a local gun violence prevention laws database, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 5, 2025
Mr. DeSaulnier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and
maintain a local gun violence prevention laws database, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local Gun Violence Reduction Act''.
SEC. 2. LOCAL GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LAWS DATABASE.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary''), shall
establish and maintain a database in which units of State and local
government (including cities, towns, counties, and special district
governments) enter into such database information on--
(1) the laws and ordinances such units of government have
enacted to reduce gun violence; and
(2) how successful such laws and ordinances have been in
reducing gun violence in the relevant jurisdictions.
(b) Information.--The information included by a State or local
government in the database established under subsection (a) with
respect to a law or ordinance referred to in such subsection shall
include the following information:
(1) Information about the size of the unit of government
involved.
(2) The date on which the law or ordinance was enacted.
(3) The date on which the law or ordinance took effect.
(4) Data on the rates of gun violence and gun deaths in the
unit of government both before and after the law or ordinance
took effect.
(c) Access.--The database established under subsection (a) shall be
searchable by any State or local unit of government.
(d) Outreach.--The Secretary shall conduct outreach to State and
local governments to increase awareness of the database under
subsection (a) and to encourage such governments to use such database.
(e) Report to Congress.--Beginning 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report specifying, with respect to the
database established under subsection (a)--
(1) how many submissions to such database have been
received;
(2) what common topics are identified in such submissions;
(3) which laws or ordinances the reports contained in such
submissions indicate have been successful; and
(4) any geographic areas within the United States that have
high or low participation in the database.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
(1) $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2026; and
(2) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year
thereafter.
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