Current Work of States United

Illegal guns are a national problem increasing crime and its lethality in every state.  A highly efficient and continuous business practice and system, gun trafficking, exists that moves guns from legal manufacture and sale to prohibited buyers, making them Illegal Guns.  These Illegal Guns end up in the hands of criminals, youth and violence people who use them to threaten, maim and kill.

Our state organizations kicked off a campaign against illegal guns in May of 2006.  Many  of our organizations are working and will continue the fight to get sensible state legislation passed to cut down on the flow of guns from the legal to the illegal market.  Here are some details:

• Backgrounder that explains how guns move from legl manufacture and sale into the illegal market.
• On March 17, 2008 as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, CeasefirePA. law enforcement and groups from around the state started intensive lobbyng in the state Capitol for a bill requiring the reporting of Lost and Stolen Guns.
• An article in the Daily Toreador on February 21, 2008 discusses the shootings at Northern Illinois University and the difference in Texas and Illinois laws.  It contains comments from Thom Mannard, Executive Director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and describes the bill that ICHV is supporting this session which would track who buys ammunition.
• On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, CeasefireNJ and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office held a press conference near the Delaware Bridge to Pennsylvania to highlight the problem that the majority of guns used in NJ crime come from PA which has lack gun control laws.  An article from the Gloucester County Times posted on NJ.com discusses the problem with quotes from Bryan Miller, Executive Director of CeasefireNJ.  Another article in the Philadelphia Inquirer reports on the difference between PA and NJ gun laws and in this article Joe Grace, Executive Director of CeasefirePA talks of the law on reporting lost and stolen guns that CeasefirePA and the PATH coalition are supporting in the PA legislature.
• A large rally was held in Harrisburg, PA, on December 10, 2007 to call for passage of bills in the legislature to reduce gun violence caused by the flood of illegal guns on city streets through out the state.  Mayors and police officers as well as victims of gun violence spoke out for the two bills mentioned below.  The event was sponsored by CeasefirePA.
• On November 20 , 2007 a hearing was held in the Pennsylvania legislature on two bills supported by a broad coalition including CeasefirePA.  Two bills were discussed - the one handgun a month bill and a reporting lost and stolen guns bill.   Two GOP legislators changed their previous votes to a YES showing real progress according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• On October 12, 2007 Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law the microstamping law setting a precedent for new technology to fight illegal guns and solve gun crimes.  (At the same time he also signed a bill to protect condors from lead bullets.)  See the article on both in the LA Times.
• The Badger Herald reported on September 24, 2007 that a poll commissioned by the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort shows support for legislation requiring all gun sales to go through background checks by a licensed dealer.
• In September both the California Senate and Assembly passed a microstamping bill which is now on Governor Schwarzenegger desk.  This bill which will make it easier to trace guns used in crimes has been supported by a wide Coalition which includes Woman Against Gun Violence and Brady Campaign chapters.  Griffin Dix, a long time activist on this issue, urges the Governor to sign this bill.
• As reported in Pantagraph.com on August 31, 2007,  Governor Blagejevich of Illinois signed into law a bill that requires stricter standards for reporting mental health records to national and state background check systems to prevent guns from falling into the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others.   The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence worked hard to get this law passed in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings.
• Ceasefire PA and the Path Coalition continue to work for a one handgun a month bill in Pennsylvania.  An article in the Toronto Star on July 28, 2007 tells a sad story of a student who tried to make money off the ease with which one can buy large number of guns in PA.  Diane Edbril, ED of Ceasefire PA, is quoted in the article.
• The Connecticut Legislature passed a bill requiring the reporting of lost and stolen guns.  The bill was signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell on June 19, 2007.   CT Against Gun Violence has worked hard to get this bill passed.
• On April 24th Bryan Miller, the Executive Director of CeasefireNJ, testified on the behalf of States United before the Commerce, Justice, Science House Subcommittee on the importance of eliminating the Tiahrt restrictions on ATF sharing crime gun trace data.  Law enforcement, public officials, researchers and the public need this information to craft good policies and to effectively combat illegal gun trafficking.  
• On April 25, 2007 New Yorkers Against Gun Violence held its 11th annual lobby day in Albany, NY to push for two bills to help cut down on illegal gun trafficking.  One bill calls for stricter regulation of NYS gun dealers and the other bills calls for the submission of ballistic evidence to the NYS crime gun database.   The Elmira Star Gazette  reported the event but it was mixed with the sad news that a state trooper had been shot and killed and the Republican call for the death penalty.
• The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence is working on a package of state legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands as reported on March 15, 2007  in the Pantagraph.com.  The package includes requiring safely locking guns in homes with teens, state licensing for gun dealers and reporting lost and stolen guns to law enforcement.
• Washington CeaseFire is advocating for a bill to close the gun show loophole in that state.  The Seattle Times reports on February 27, 2007 on activity on this bill in the State Senate.
• Press release from States United on the series of press conferences that kicked off the illegal guns campaign in My of 2006.