PA House Judiciary Committee to Hold First Gun Violence Prevention Hearing In Years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 16, 2023
For More Information:
Adam Garber, CeaseFirePA Executive Director, (267) 515-1220, adam.garber@ceasefirepa.org
Brandon Flood, CeaseFirePA Deputy Director, (717) 623-2432, brandon@ceasefirepa.org
Harrisburg – For the first time since gun violence has surged to historic levels, the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the toll of this destruction and evidence-based solutions. While much of the media coverage focuses on major cities, smaller communities have seen violent crime rise even further–800% in Washington County and 300% in Adams County, according to the PA State Police Database.
“For far too long, the House Judiciary Committee has ignored the gun violence crisis in Pennsylvania. It is critical to hear from individuals most impacted by guns and gun violence in our effort to find proposed solutions and insights into how we can best protect our children, loved ones, and our communities,” said Chairman Briggs (D-Montgomery) in announcing the hearing.
“This hearing will transcend political affiliation centering on those facing this crisis, whether they live in rural, urban, or suburban communities. We applaud Chairman Briggs for starting the discussion with an inclusive panel of survivors, doctors, teachers, law enforcement, and responsible gun owners as we explore life-saving solutions,” said Adam Garber, Executive Director of CeaseFirePA Action.
The hearing coincides with the fifth anniversary of March for Our Lives when thousands of Pennsylvanians pushed for action in the wake of one of the worst high school massacres. Hundreds of Pennsylvanians are expected in Harrisburg that day to push for life-saving policy action.
The hearing will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2023, from 1:30-3:00 PM in the Irvis Building, Room G-50, at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Speakers include survivors, public health experts, educators, law enforcement, and responsible gun owners.
