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League of Women Voters of Arizona
1934 E. Camelback Rd.
Suite 120, #277
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
lwvaz.org lwvarizona@gmail.com
LWVAZ @LWVAZ @LWVAZ LWVAZLeague of Women Voters of Arizona
1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Table of Contents
Pre-Convention Workshops ............................................................................................................................... 3
STUDY REPORT AND POLICY PROPOSAL ................................................................................................ 4
LWVAZ GUN SAFETY STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT ................................................................................ 4
Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 4
Background: Gun Violence and Gun Safety in Arizona ............................................................................... 5
The LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee: ................................................................................................ 6
The Committee’s Work and Major Projects ................................................................................................. 6
PROPOSAL AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................... 12
Position Statement ................................................................................................................................... 12
Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Timeliness of this Study and Proposal ...................................................................................................... 13
LWVAZ GUN SAFETY STUDY ADDENDUM .................................................................................................. 17
ADDENDUM A ............................................................................................................................................. 17
ADDENDUM B ............................................................................................................................................. 18
Gun Safety Study Surveys........................................................................................................................ 18
ADDENDUM C............................................................................................................................................. 22
ADDENDUM D............................................................................................................................................. 22
ADDENDUM E ............................................................................................................................................. 38
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Pre-Convention Workshops
Tuesday, May 4, 6:00 PM Budgets Lynn Hoffman
An opportunity to review and ask questions about the proposed LWVAZ Operations and LWVAZ State
Ed Fund Budget.
Thursday, May 6, 6:00 PM Zoom Protocols Pinny Sheoran & Judy Wood
Saturday, May 8, 1:00 PM Zoom Protocols Pinny Sheoran & Judy Wood
A time to practice the Zoom protocols that will be used for voting, raising hand to be recognized, and
other protocols. (Same workshop is offered two different times.)
Monday, May 10, 6:00 PM Criminal Justice Reform Concurrence Nancy Hand
It is proposed that LWVAZ adopt the Criminal Justice Reform Position from California. This is the time
to ask questions and become informed.
Tuesday, May 11, 6:00 PM Policy Positions Betty Bengtson
An important part of Convention is the adoption of Public Policy Positions for the coming two years. For
a greater understanding of the process and proposed review of current positions attend this workshop.
Wednesday, May 12, 6:00 PM Gun Safety Study Kathy Aros
For two years the Gun Safety Committee has studied the issue and is now bringing it to the Convention
for adoption.
Thursday, May 13, 6:00 PM Bylaws Amendments Susan Walter
The LWVAZ State Bylaws have undergone some proposed changes; we will vote on these changes at
Convention. Join this workshop to learn more about the changes. There will be time for a Q&A.
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Gun Safety Consensus
STUDY REPORT AND POLICY PROPOSAL
The LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee requests that the LWVAZ Convention adopt the proposed
position on gun safety as a new policy position.
The Gun Safety Study Committee is made up of members from multiple Arizona Leagues and respectfully
submits this report.
Kathy Aros, Chair Greater Tucson
Lynn Blankenship Greater Tucson
Kristin Delaplane Greater Tucson
Kathy Dubbs Greater Tucson
Michele Garrick Nave NW Maricopa
Mary Grove Northern Arizona
Joyce Haas Central Yavapai
Laura Hudson Metro Phoenix
Freda Johnson Greater Tucson
Susan Peters Greater Tucson
Mary Elizabeth Pollard Greater Tucson
Elizabeth Zegura Greater Tucson
LWVAZ GUN SAFETY STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT
Introduction
Guns and Ammo Magazine has consistently ranked Arizona the #1 best state for gun owners. It receives top
marks in every single category.1 Why? Because Arizona has almost no laws governing firearms.
In Arizona you can:
• Buy a gun without a waiting period, license, registration, or training.
• Carry a concealed weapon without a license if you are 21.
• Buy an assault weapon or large‐capacity magazine.
• Buy a gun from an unlicensed dealer without a background check.
• Keep an unlocked, loaded gun in your home even if children are present.
• Keep a gun even though you may pose a threat to yourself or others.
• Carry a gun—openly or concealed—almost everywhere.
• Possess a gun even though you have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse which is
against federal law.
In the latest polls, 97% of Americans support Universal Background Checks for the purchase of a gun. Most
people—including gun owners—also support other sensible gun laws. Many of these laws have been
proposed in the Arizona State Legislature every year, but most never get a hearing.
The Gun Safety Study Committee, after nearly two years of research, proposes that LWVAZ adopt a
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
position on gun safety so that members of our league may ally with other groups to lobby for laws to make
Arizonans safer from gun violence.
What follows is a more detailed look at gun violence and safety issues in Arizona, as well as a summary of
the Gun Safety Study Committee’s origins, goals, and protocols; an overview of the projects undertaken by
the Committee, including our research, surveys, Facts & Issues reports, and interactive JR Project event;
and our conclusions and proposed Position Statement, together with reflections on where to go from here.
Background: Gun Violence and Gun Safety in Arizona
Someone is killed with a gun every eight hours in Arizona. The state recorded 1,136 firearm deaths in
2019—an increase of over 200 fatalities in a five‐year period.2 Of the dead, some were children whose
deaths would have been 100% preventable with a Safe Gun Storage law; others were victims of domestic
violence, murdered by partners or relatives with a history of aggression; and many were suicide victims—
often acting on impulse—who might have lived if their firearms had been locked up and unloaded.
Mass shootings occur every year both nationwide and in Arizona. The Gun Violence Archive defines these
events as acts of gun violence in which four or more persons are killed or injured, not including the shooter.3
The deadliest of these in recent years was the 2011 Safeway parking lot shooting in Tucson, where a young
man with high‐capacity magazines and a semi‐automatic weapon killed six and wounded 13, including
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Despite its political motivation and high‐profile victims, the incident was
by no means unusual. As recently as 2019, six mass shootings with seven people dead and 27 wounded
were recorded in the state.4
Common sense firearms safety laws would help mitigate the gun violence crisis. Yet none of the many gun
safety bills introduced in the Arizona legislature since 2014 have reached the committee floor.5 The
proposals that failed to gain a hearing during that period included Safe Gun Storage bills, bans on assault
weapons and bump‐piece devices, limits on magazine capacity, required background checks for firearm
transfers, the removal of firearms from perpetrators of domestic assault, and Severe Threat Orders of
Protection—or “Red Flag” laws—to restrict firearm access for individuals posing a danger to themselves or
others. Even non‐regulatory proposals only peripherally related to firearms—such as a bill proposing the
creation of a school safety hotline and an initiative calling for a committee to study violence prevention and
public safety— were blocked.6
Despite research documenting the effectiveness of firearm safety measures, a partisan majority of Arizona
legislators have long opposed gun safety regulations, while passing firearm bills that protect guns, and
those who use them, from both local and federal gun safety ordinances.7 One example is A.R.S. (Arizona
Revised Statutes) §13‐3108, which prohibits Arizona counties and municipalities from enacting regulations
on such activities as the transportation, possession, licensing, storage, and registration of firearms. The
same law also prohibits local authorities from maintaining records on guns, gun owners, and sales or
transfers of guns in their jurisdiction.8 A second example is A.R.S. §13‐3114, which declared that firearms or
ammunition manufactured commercially or privately in Arizona are not subject to federal laws or regulations
if they remain within the state.9 Not surprisingly, Giffords.org gives Arizona an “F” rating for firearm safety,
and in 2015 the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence called Arizona the state with the loosest gun
laws.10
Arizona’s resistance to gun safety regulations is deeply entrenched in the state’s history and politics, but it is
also a function of the frontier mentality and Old West legacy still present in Arizona.11 In film and fiction, the
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
“Wild West” has been romanticized as a land of wide‐open spaces, rough and tumble cowboys, outlaws and
shootouts, and ubiquitous firearms. While this image is skewed—glorifying violent responses to perceived
threats rather than the gun safety laws of towns like Tombstone, Deadwood, Dodge City, and Abilene12—the
frontier values underlying the myth still resonate with many Arizonans, despite the state’s rapid population
growth and demographic changes, the ever‐increasing deadliness of modern firearms, and the sheer
numbers of guns circulating freely in Arizona.
Given the absence of registration requirements, the exact number of firearms present in Arizona is
impossible to determine. Statista.com reports that the state has the 7th highest number of registered guns in
the country, while CBS News and the RAND Corporation estimate that almost half of all adults in Arizona
have guns at home.13 The real question, of course, is how many of these households contain multiple and
high‐capacity weapons – and are these weapons properly stored?
Looking back in history, it is important to remember that even Old Tombstone instituted firearm regulations
to help keep the peace, as noted earlier.14 Modern‐day studies have repeatedly shown that gun violence
decreases significantly with an increase in gun safety protocols. These facts, together with deep‐seated
concerns about escalating gun violence and questions about how best to address the crisis, led to the
formation of the LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee and this report.
The LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee:
Origins, Goals, and Protocols
At the LWVAZ convention in May 2019, a proposal was approved for a new study on “gun control and gun
safety as a public health issue as it related both nationally and more specifically as an Arizona issue.” In
early September of 2019, President Kathy Aros (LWVGT) convened the first meeting of a statewide
Committee, which then met every other week when feasible. Although most members were from Tucson,
members of other leagues were included via Zoom (GT, NWVMC, CYC, and MP). A core group soon
established itself and remains to the present time. Through consensus, Committee members developed a
mission statement: “To propose a LWVAZ position on gun safety issues through research, education and
consensus‐building. We will recommend actions, including potential legislation.” 15
Since the Committee members all came with varying degrees of knowledge about gun safety, we set about
to educate ourselves on the subject. One of the first things we learned was that Arizona has almost no laws
regarding the purchase and use of guns. We developed a list of basic issues, divided it up, and began our
research for what would eventually become the Facts & Issues reports which were sent out to all members
of the Arizona League.
To achieve consensus of statewide members, we sent two surveys on gun issues to all LWVAZ members,
with well‐researched Facts & Issues provided in between the two surveys to assist members in making
informed choices.
The introductory Facts & Issues was sent out on February 14, 2020 in the LWVAZ newsletter to prepare
members for the first survey that would poll members on which issues were most important to them and on
whether they even saw gun safety as a problem. We included startling facts that we had learned in our
extensive research in hopes of piquing their interest and alerting them to the upcoming survey. Very soon
thereafter we developed what we hoped was an eye‐ catching logo to include on all the Facts & Issues.
The Committee’s Work and Major Projects
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
1. Research:
The Committee’s goal was to provide fact‐based research on the issues that resonated with our
membership and to respond to additional gun violence issues in Arizona. Creating the Facts & Issues
reports required extensive and varied types of research on each of the 11 topics that we addressed. All of
the research in these reports is footnoted and attributed to the appropriate sources. These sources included
books, news articles, periodicals, eyewitness and expert testimonies, Internet websites, and national
databases. These resources are catalogued in our own database library (See Appendices). This wealth of
knowledge helped us articulate the severity of the gun violence issues facing our state and nation, the
various positions on firearms held by different subgroups of our population, and the potential solutions to
gun violence that have proven effective or appear promising.
2. Surveys
Survey 1:
In February 2020, the Committee launched its first survey to all AZ League members. Intent on learning the
state’s appetite and support for a study on gun safety, the Committee designed a seven‐question survey.
The design was a combination of Yes/No and open‐ended questions, as well as an invitation to be a
Committee member; 186 members from 6 leagues responded.
Notably, 100% of the respondents indicated their belief that gun violence is an Arizona public safety issue.
Furthermore, 98% also said gun safety was a very serious or serious issue on the survey scale. Particular
areas of concern included:
1. The lack of background checks and the need for bans on assault weapons and high‐capacity
magazines.
2. The ease of purchasing guns.
3. A combination of domestic violence, red flag laws, open and concealed carry laws, and the need
for some sort of licensing.
Ranking their top five gun issues, members overwhelming supported:
1. Background checks.
2. Assault weapon bans.
3. High‐capacity magazine bans.
4. Preventing domestic violence offenders from possessing guns.
5. High Risk/Red Flag laws.
Numerous other gun safety topics were important to members. This collection of priorities provided
guidance to the areas of focus and study for the Committee’s next steps in the development of Facts &
Issues.
Survey 2:
Following the publication of 11 Facts & Issues articles throughout 2020, the Committee sent a second
survey to all AZ League members in December. The aim was to ascertain, based on shared knowledge and
data, what specific issues our League’s members supported. The 37‐question survey structure was different
from the first; 202 participants, from 6 leagues, responded to 36 Yes/No questions and to one open‐ended
question asking for their top legislative priority related to gun safety. This survey design also offered a brief
introductory comment on each topic to reinforce the data gleaned from the Facts & Issues research.
Once again, 99% of our members strongly agreed that gun violence is a public health issue in AZ, and 99%
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
or more agreed on the need for:
● Mandatory background checks.
● Required safety training for gun purchases.
● Required permits/licensing for gun ownership.
● Elimination of the gun show loophole.
● Regulation of assault weapons.
● Regulation of high‐capacity magazines.
● Community‐based violence intervention programs.
● More accountability for police shootings.
● Required de‐escalation training.
● Less lethal intervention where possible.
● Removing guns from domestic violence abusers.
● Not arming teachers in schools.
Of the 36 Yes/No questions, members supported all but 3 of the gun safety measures they were asked to
assess at rates of 95% or higher.
School safety measure responses varied, whether it was for the presence of armed officers, shooter drills,
or the “hardening” of schools. Where we noted best membership alignment was around increased funding
for school counselors and agreement to not support the arming of teachers in the classroom.
Responses to the open‐ended question, which asked members to identify their top legislative priority related
to gun safety, were aligned around:
1. Mandating background checks.
2. Banning assault weapons and high‐capacity magazines.
3. Implementing a firearm licensing process.
The output of the two surveys has guided Committee study and informed our position statement.
3. Facts & Issues: Guns in Arizona
A Study by the LWVAZ to Formulate a Position on Gun Safety
A major project of the Gun Safety Study Committee was the assembly and publication of 11 Facts & Issues
reports that were distributed to Arizona League members electronically in the Advocacy and Action
electronic newsletter, published by the LWVAZ Advocacy Committee starting in February 2020. While
numerous topics pertaining to gun violence and gun safety merited attention, those prioritized and included
in the Facts & Issues reports were determined by the Committee’s research and discussions and by the
ranked responses of state League members to the first survey. The following is a summary of the 11 Facts
& Issues publications. For the complete texts of the reports, see Appendices.
Facts & Issues #1: Guns in Arizona—Introduction
The first Facts & Issues report summarizes the current state of gun violence, gun safety, and gun laws in
Arizona, which has the loosest firearm regulations in the country according to the Brady Campaign to
Prevent Gun Violence. This introductory Facts & Issues report focuses on major categories of firearm
deaths (suicide, domestic violence, childhood accidents with guns) and compares the high frequency of
firearm deaths in Arizona to more widely publicized, and lower, mortality rates from other causes such as
car crashes and childhood drownings. Facts & Issues #1 also examines Arizona’s lack of conformity to
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
widely accepted gun safety standards, despite evidence that states with stronger gun laws have lower death
rates.
Facts & Issues #2: Safe Storage of Firearms
Facts & Issues #2 focuses on the safe storage of firearms, on preventable firearm accidents involving
children, and on the major types of gun‐related deaths that could be prevented or reduced in number by
safe storage practices. These safety protocols include keeping firearms locked up, making sure they are
unloaded, and storing ammunition separately. Research has shown these safety practices to be effective in
states with Childhood Access Prevention (CAP) laws, where they are particularly successful in preventing
accidental deaths of children, thwarting suicides, and reducing the number of crimes perpetrated with stolen
weapons.16 Yet 23 states, including Arizona, have no laws requiring safe firearm storage.
Facts & Issues #3: Stopping Gun Violence in Schools
School Safety is a major concern in our communities, and there are divergent viewpoints on how best to
address gun violence in schools. National polls of the AFT, NEA, and NASRO do not support arming
teachers as a response to the threat.17 Similarly, parents of students do not support arming teachers. Most
states do require active shooter drills, as suggested by the NRA, but their effectiveness and repercussions
are unknown.
While there is no nationwide consensus on best practices for making schools safe, research has identified a
series of risk factors associated with gun violence in schools. A study of mass shootings from 1966‐2019
found that nearly all school shooters were current or former students at the school and that they exhibited
warning signs prior to the incident.18 Studies also show that children will access guns when they are present
and unlocked in their homes and that access to firearms triples their risk of death by suicide and homicide.19
The subject of gun violence in schools is complex and has multiple facets that need to be addressed.
Facts & Issues #4: The Disproportionate Impact of Guns on the Black Community
The Committee found the statistics on this issue alarming. Guns are the number one cause of death of
Black children.20 Black Americans are killed by guns at a rate 10 times higher than that of white Americans.
New research is showing that incarceration does very little to stop gun homicide. Community violence
intervention organizations are effective.21
Stand‐Your‐Ground laws increase firearm homicides and injuries and fail to deter crime. When White
shooters kill Black victims, these homicides are 11 times more frequently deemed justifiable than when the
shooter is Black and the victim is White.22
Over 1,000 Americans are killed each year by police.23 Black Americans are killed by police at twice the rate
of White Americans. This pattern is sustained by policing and justice systems that often sanction and
condone rather than penalize and seek to eradicate police violence.
There is no single solution to racial differences in gun violence outcomes, but changes to our laws, revision
of policies, and reordering of funding priorities all based on research must be enacted if there is to be any
improvement to the system.
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Facts & Issues #5: Background Checks
The lack of Universal Background Checks emerged as the strongest issue in the first Gun Safety Study
Committee survey. Background checks are intended to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons,
users of controlled substances, dishonorably discharged veterans, underage individuals, and those with
certain mental conditions. Arizona only requires a background check for purchases from licensed gun
dealers. Buying on the Internet, at yard sales, in a parking lot, or at private sales requires no background
checks in Arizona. It is estimated that about 1 in 5 transfers nationally are completed without any
background check at all. 24
Numerous mass shootings have been perpetrated by individuals who would not have passed background
checks. And while there is little research on the impact of background checks, the Boston School of Public
Health researcher Michael Siegel concluded that states requiring Universal Background Checks had
homicide rates 15% lower than states without this law.25
In national polls, up to 97% of Americans support Universal Background Checks. Although approximately
69% of NRA members support Universal Background Checks, gun lobbies and the NRA have successfully
pushed back against these checks.
Facts & Issues #6: Red Flag Laws
Extreme Risk Prevention Orders, also known as Red Flag laws, allow family members and law enforcement
to ask a court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to guns when there is evidence that the person
poses a risk of using firearms to harm themselves or others. In 90% of school shootings between 2009 and
2017, the shooters exhibited warning signs. A 2020 RAND Corporation study concluded that “if ERPOs are
well targeted and have a high likelihood of preventing a suicide or a homicide, then they could substantially
lower state homicide or suicide rates.”26 Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted some
form of ERPO, including at least 5 signed into law by Republican governors. With safeguards such as due
process and time limits, ERPOs can save lives.
Facts & Issues #7: Veteran Suicide
An average of 4,200 veterans die by firearm suicide every year; that is approximately 11 deaths per day.
Since 2005, the veteran firearm suicide rate has increased by 33%, reaching near‐ epidemic proportions.
One factor is that former members of our armed forces are 1.5 times more likely to own guns than non‐
veterans, and firearms are the weapon of choice for most veteran suicides.
There are a number of research‐based solutions that should be implemented to address this public health
crisis. Red Flag Laws would identify veterans who are at risk of suicide and remove their guns temporarily.
Secure Storage laws would also distance the veteran from his or her gun— currently, one in three veteran
gun owners keeps at least one firearm loaded and unlocked. The magnitude of the loss of veterans to
suicide needs urgent action, including more robust assistance from the Veterans Administration Health
Support Services, to prevent these tragic deaths.
Facts & Issues #8: Ghost Guns
A ghost gun is a DIY, homemade gun made from readily available, unregulated components. It is produced
by individuals, not manufacturers. Ghost guns do not have serial numbers and are untraceable, and their
components are acquired without a background check.
Ghost guns are predictably emerging as a weapon of choice for violent criminals, gun traffickers, dangerous
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1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
extremists, and other people legally prohibited from buying firearms.
Ghost gun kits sold online are designed and marketed so that almost any person, even one with limited
technical skills, can do the necessary work to build a real gun in less than one hour. If the person has a drill
and an hour, they can circumvent gun safety laws and make a ghost gun.
Because of the ATF’s (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) current interpretation of the law, the core
components of ghost guns are not regulated as “firearms.”
Facts & Issues #9: Domestic Violence
Guns and domestic violence are a deadly combination. When a gun is present in a domestic violence
situation, a woman is five times more likely to die. Between 2009 and 2013 Arizona’s rate of intimate partner
gun murder was 45% higher than the national average. Domestic violence homicides can be prevented by
strengthening gun safety laws so that abusers are denied access to firearms. As it stands in Arizona, judges
and law enforcement are authorized, but not required, to remove guns from domestic abusers. Making sure
guns are taken out of the hands of abusers is one step further to saving the lives of women and children.
Facts & Issues #10: Assault Weapons and High‐Capacity Magazines
This issue was the second greatest concern of LWVAZ members in the first survey. In 2009, the Justice
Department defined assault weapons as “semi‐automatic firearms with a large magazine of ammunition that
were designed and configured for rapid fire and combat use.” High‐capacity magazines are the ammunition
feeding devices, typically holding more than 10 rounds (bullets). The Giffords Law Center goes further and
says assault weapons “are specifically designed to kill humans quickly and efficiently.”27
The deadliest mass shootings in recent history have one thing in common: the use of assault weapons. 28
Recent events have evidenced civilians brandishing assault weapons in public protests and uprisings. There
is a proliferation of these deadly weapons, yet no one knows just how many are out there. Twelve years
ago, the NRA estimated that between 8.5 to 15 million assault weapons were in the hands of private
citizens. Millions have been sold in the last few years alone. There is no firearm registry for these weapons.
In 1994, Congress enacted a ban on assault weapons. Gun massacres decreased 37% during that ban.
The ban expired after 10 years and was not reinstated due to the successful efforts of gun lobbies and the
NRA. In Arizona it is extremely easy to purchase assault weapons and high‐ capacity magazines. While an
18‐year‐old cannot purchase a pistol legally, he/she can legally purchase an assault weapon.
Facts & Issues #11: A Brief History of the Second Amendment
—Politics of Guns in America
This final Facts & Issues report explores the origins and history of the Second Amendment, the different
ways it has been interpreted and politicized over the years, its implications for gun safety regulations, and
the evolution of Second Amendment Supreme Court decisions.
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4. The JR Project
In September 2020, the LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee had the opportunity to partner with the Desert
Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church in Phoenix to present The JR Project event: Guns in
America. JR is an internationally recognized artist and photographer creating murals that depict complex
social issues. Time Magazine contracted with JR to bring together a variety of voices in search of common
ground on one of our nation’s most divisive topics.
The Zoom event utilized a combination of interactive, photographic murals, stories from each of the 245
interviewed individuals, well‐designed breakout sessions, videos, and trained facilitators. Our mission was to
understand the many different perspectives on gun violence. We hoped to build awareness as well as
develop empathy for different viewpoints.
Our Committee was able to offer this event to all League members in Arizona; 34 attended.
From this small, but committed group, we learned that language is an issue when it comes to guns. “Safety”
vs. “Control,” for example can evoke significantly different responses. Additionally, the presence of guns is
not worrisome to all who have grown up with guns but may be threatening to those who are not gun owners.
We believe we have a better understanding of where people stand on the issue of guns and an openness to
listening to other people’s viewpoints following this webinar.
PROPOSAL AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Position Statement
Based on the Committee’s research and League members’ consensus from the second survey, the
following Position Statement was crafted by the Committee and approved by the LWVAZ Board on January
9, 2021.
Over the last three decades, the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) has advocated for
gun safety legislation. The LWVUS believes that gun violence in the United States is a major health and
safety threat to its citizens. The LWVUS supports strong federal measures regulating gun ownership by
private citizens with licensing procedures including a waiting period for background checks, personal identity
verification, gun safety education, and licensing renewal. All Arizona citizens have a right and need to feel
safe. We believe gun ownership comes with civic responsibility, demonstrating responsible ownership and
handling. Responsible ownership and handling should be supported by:
1. Enacting Universal Background Checks for all gun purchases and transfers.
2. Regulating assault weapons and high‐capacity magazines including restricting the presence of
assault weapons to rifle ranges.
3. Enacting a licensing process that requires background checks and safety training/education
compliance.
4. Requiring safety training for gun purchases and carrying concealed weapons.
5. Enacting a waiting period for gun purchases.
6. Enacting Safe Storage laws for unattended guns.
7. Enacting a law allowing judges to temporarily remove guns from a person where there is clear
evidence that the person poses a danger to themselves or others.
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8. Enacting laws preventing people with domestic violence convictions from possessing guns and
ammunition.
9. Repealing Stand‐Your‐Ground laws.
10. Restricting the presence of guns in public spaces.
11. Allowing communities to implement voluntary programs such as buy‐back or gun disposal.
12. Regulating “ghost” guns and/or sales of their components.
13. Outlawing straw gun purchases.
Additionally, we advocate for:
14. Supporting and funding community‐based violence intervention programs.
15. Mandating de‐escalation training for law enforcement.
16. Requiring more accountability for police shootings.
17. No armed teachers, security, or school resource officers.
18. Supporting research‐based initiatives/activities that have shown to reduce school shootings.
19. Supporting and funding research on gun violence at all levels of government.
Next Steps
The LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee offers the above Position Statement to the State League
membership for your consideration and discussion. If the LWVAZ adopts the Position Statement by a vote at
the 2021 Convention, we would also like to propose that:
● A statewide LWVAZ committee be formed to lobby the legislature on gun safety issues.
● The Advocacy and Gun Safety Study Committees combine their efforts to promote firearm safety
legislation.
● The League explore ways of educating the public about gun safety (perhaps through public forums
and/or other events).
● The LWVAZ collaborate with other organizations, including the National League, to promote firearm
safety legislation and to educate the public about gun safety.
Timeliness of this Study and Proposal
The gun violence that racked the United States in the last year is a reminder of how timely and urgent the
above proposals, and Gun Safety Laws, are. This year, the installation of a new U.S. Administration offers
all of us an extraordinary opportunity to address this public health crisis with fresh ideas and renewed
commitment, energy, and hope.
The LWVUS recently sent a letter to the Biden administration outlining their hopes for the future, including a
statement advocating the end of gun violence in America. Here is an excerpt from that text:
The League believes that the Biden Administration should work with the 117th Congress to adopt legislation
that will close the gun show loophole, provide universal background checks, increase penalties for straw
purchases of guns, ban assault weapons, place limits on high‐ capacity ammunition magazine size, fund
research and reporting on gun violence in America. The nation needs and demands comprehensive gun
reform, including placing limits on magazine size is a common‐sense solution to shootings that risks multiple
lives. This limit should include magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10
rounds of ammunition. These devices allow shooters to fire numerous rounds in rapid succession without
LWVAZ @LWVAZ Website: lwvaz.org email: lwvarizona@gmail.com Top of document Page 13 of 42League of Women Voters of Arizona
1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
having to stop and reload, and they have been a central part of the mass killings in schools and public
meeting places. In addition, background checks are not required for the 40 percent of gun sales that take
place at gun shows, person‐to‐person sales, or other private transactions. A recent Quinnipiac poll found
that support for background checks is almost universal with 97 percent of voters in favor of background
checks on all gun purchasers. This is the highest level of support ever measured by the independent poll.29
The LWVAZ Gun Safety Study Committee echoes these ideas and sentiments, while taking hope from the
fact that support for background checks on all gun purchasers is currently at an all‐time high level. The time
is ripe for safer firearm regulations and protocols.
End Notes
1
The categories listed are the following: the right to carry, including concealed carry; black rifles, or assault
weapons; the “castle doctrine,” meaning Stand‐Your Ground laws; preemption statues; and Red Flag laws.
Arizona is also valued by firearm aficionados for its strong and competitive shooting scene and for its strong
firearm
industry presence—exemplified by the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, AZ, described as “America’s premier
gun training center.” See https://www.gunsite.com/locations/gunsite‐academy‐paulden‐arizona/.
2
“Firearm Mortality by State,” National Center for Health Statistics, Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm.
3
“Mass Shooting Methodology and reasoning,” The Explainer, Gun Violence Archive,
https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/explainer.
4
“Mass Shootings in 2019,” Gun Violence Archive, https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass‐
shooting?year=2019&sort=asc&order=State .
5
Meg Pradelt, email message to Kathleen Dubbs, 5 February 2021. Meg Pradelt is the legislative chair for
Gun Violence Prevention ‐ Arizona (GVPA).
6
The summary of proposed firearm bills in Arizona that were never heard in committee is from Meg Pradelt
(see Note 5), who has tracked firearm bill proposals in the State Legislature since 2014. Email message to
Kathleen Dubbs, 5 February 2021.
7
For an overview of gun violence, gun safety, and Arizona firearm regulations, see Jessica M. Rosenthal
and Jesenia M. Pizarro, Arizona Gun Laws 101, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State
University, 2019, http://www.azfgs.com/wp‐content/uploads/2019/09/Arizona‐Gun‐Laws‐101‐4.19.pdf.
8
Very pointedly, this statute also prohibits local governments from enacting any firearm regulation more
“prohibitive” or “restrictive” than state law. See A.R.S. §13‐3108,
https://www.azleg.gov/viewdocument/?docName=https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03108.htm. This statute, as
well as A.R.S. §12‐941‐945 governing the disposal of seized or unclaimed property, was successfully
invoked by the state in its opposition to Tucson Code 2‐142, which in 2005 authorized the destruction of
seized, unclaimed, and forfeited firearms by the Tucson Police Department. See
https://law.justia.com/cases/arizona/supreme‐ court/2017/cv‐16‐0301‐sa.html.
9
See A.R.S. §13‐3114,
https://www.azleg.gov/viewdocument/?docName=https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03114.htm.
10
“Arizona Gun Laws,” Giffords Law Center, https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun‐laws/states/arizona/; “Mass
Shooting in Mesa and Arizona’s Loosest Gun Laws in the Country,” Brady United, 18 March 2015,
https://www.bradyunited.org/press‐releases/mass‐shooting‐in‐mesa‐and‐arizonas‐loosest‐gun‐laws‐in‐the‐
nation. Despite giving Arizona a score of “F,” the Giffords Law Center currently ranks the state 45th out of
50 states for gun safety. See “Gun Law Scorecard,” Giffords Law Center,
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/resources/scorecard/#AZ.
11
Douglas Heingartner, “Frontier Mentality Is still Alive and Well in the West,” Psych News Daily, 9
September 2020, https://www.psychnewsdaily.com/frontier‐mentality‐still‐seen‐in‐residents‐of‐wild‐west‐
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states/. Scholars
who study frontier mentality note the “chronic fear and permanently heightened vigilance” that exist “in
frontier topographies to help avoid physical threats,” as well as the sense of freedom and independence
among frontier settlers, the harshness of frontier terrains, the frequent distrust of strangers among
inhabitants of these regions, and the ethos of independence, individualism, and toughness they exhibit. See
Friedrich M. Götz, Stefan Stieger, et al., “Physical Topography Is Associated with Human Personality,”
Nature Human Behaviour 4, 1135–1144, 7 September 2020, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562‐020‐0930‐x.
12
Matt Jancer, “Gun Control Is as Old as the Old West,” Smithsonian Magazine, 5 February 2018,
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gun‐control‐old‐west‐180968013/
13
See “Number of Registered Weapons in the U.S. by State, 2019,” Statista,
https://www.statista.com/statistics/215655/number‐of‐registered‐weapons‐in‐the‐us‐by‐state/. In a long‐term
study, published in 2020 and covering the years 1980‐2016, the RAND Corporation estimates that 46.3% of
adults in Arizona live in homes with guns, but the study offers no statistics on households with multiple
firearms or, more importantly, on the actual number of firearms present in Arizona. See “Gun Ownership by
State: Arizona,” CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/gun‐ownership‐rates‐by‐state/28/ ; and
Terry L. Schell, Samuel Peterson, et al., “State‐Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership,” RAND
Corporation, 2020, https://www.rand.org/pubs/tools/TL354.html.
14
Matt Jancer, “Gun Control Is as Old as the Old West,” Smithsonian Magazine, 5 February 2018,
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gun‐control‐old‐west‐180968013/ .
15
For the complete Mission Statement, see Appendices.
16
“Gun Policy in America,” The RAND Corporation, https://www.rand.org/research/gun‐policy/analysis/child‐
access‐prevention.html.
17
“Arming Teachers Introduces New Risks into Schools,” Everytown for Gun Safety, 1 May 2019,
http://everytownresearch.org/arming‐teachers‐introduces‐new‐risks‐into‐schools.
18
“The Violence Project Database of Mass Shootings in the United States, 1966‐2019,” The Violence
Project, November 2019, https://www.theviolenceproject.org/. See also “The Impact of School Safety Drills
for Active Shootings,” Everytown for Gun Safety, https://everytownresearch.org/report/the‐impact‐of‐school‐
safety‐drills‐ for‐active‐shootings/
19
“Arming Teachers Introduces New Risks into Schools,” Everytown for Gun Safety, 1 May 2019,
http://everytownresearch.org/arming‐teachers‐introduces‐new‐risks‐into‐schools.
20
“Gun Violence 8: The Number of Children and Teens Killed with Guns Each Day in the U.S.,” Children’s
Defense Fund, https://www.childrensdefense.org/wp‐content/uploads/2018/06/Gun_Violence.pdf.
21
“Study Finds Increased Incarceration Has Marginal‐to‐Zero Impact on Crime,” Equal Justice Initiative, 7
August 2017, https://eji.org/news/study‐finds‐increased‐incarceration‐does‐not‐reduce‐crime/.
22
“Stand Your Ground Laws Are a License to Kill,” Everytown for Gun Safety, 25 January 2021,
https://everytownresearch.org/fact‐sheet‐stand‐your‐ground.
23
“Fatal Force: 900 People Have Been Shot and Killed by Police in the Past Year,” Washington Post, 9
February 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/police‐shootings‐database/.
24
Matthew Miller, Lisa Hepburn, and Deborah Azrael, “Firearm Acquisition without Background Checks,”
The Annals of Internal Medicine, 21 February 2017, https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/m16‐1590.
25
Jessica Colarossi and Kat J McAlpine, “The FBI and CDC Datasets Agree: Who Has Guns—Not Which
Guns— Linked to Murder Rates,” The Brink: Pioneering Research from Boston University, 6 August 2019,
http://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/state‐gun‐laws‐that‐reduce‐gun‐deaths.
26
“The Effects of Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” Gun Policy in America, RAND Corporation, 20 April
2020, https://www.rand.org/research/gun‐policy/analysis/extreme‐risk‐protection‐orders.html.
27
“Hardware and Ammunition: Assault Weapons,” Giffords Law Center, https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun‐
laws/policy‐areas/hardware‐ammunition/assault‐weapons/.
28
Chris Canipe and Lazaro Gamio, “What the Deadliest Mass Shootings Have in Common,” Axios, 7
LWVAZ @LWVAZ Website: lwvaz.org email: lwvarizona@gmail.com Top of document Page 15 of 42League of Women Voters of Arizona
1934 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 120, #277, Phoenix, Arizona 85016
September 2019, https://www.axios.com/deadliest‐mass‐shootings‐common‐4211bafd‐da85‐41d4‐b3b2‐
b51ff61e7c86.html.
29
Virginia Kase and Deborah Turner, “The League Anticipates Working Closely with the Biden
Administration,” memo to President‐Elect Joe Biden and transition team, 4 January 2021,
https://www.lwv.org/league‐ management/league‐anticipates‐working‐closely‐biden‐administration . See
also Priya Pandey, “LWVUS Priorities in the New Biden Administration: Hopes of a New Era of Progress,
Peace, Prosperity, and Unity,” 27 January 2021, https://www.lwv.org/blog/lwvus‐priorities‐new‐biden‐
administration.
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LWVAZ GUN SAFETY STUDY ADDENDUM
Table of Contents
Addendum A…............................................................................................... Mission Statement
Addendum B…...................................................................................................... Surveys 1 & 2
Addendum C….................................................................................................………....JR Flyer
Addendum D…..................................................................................................... Facts & Issues
Addendum E…............................................................................................................. Resources
ADDENDUM A
LWVAZ GUN SAFETY STUDY MISSION STATEMENT
To propose a LWVAZ position on gun safety issues through research, education, and consensus building.
We will recommend actions including potential legislation.
1. Research to include, but is not limited to:
a. Public Health Crises to include domestic violence and suicide
b. Public Safety to include school safeguards and red flags for mental health and violence
indicators
c. Community gun violence incidents
d. Weaponry to include assault weapons and high capacity magazines
e. Regulations to include: permitting, training, background checks, prohibitions, relinquishment,
state reciprocity
2. League members throughout AZ will be included to provide input and reaction to data collection,
assessment, and recommendations through:
a. Inclusion on the Gun Safety Committee of various league members throughout AZ
b. Facts & Issues dissemination of information
c. Survey questions to assess areas of importance and priorities
d. Unit Meeting agenda topics and collection of feedback
3. Community input will include:
a. Law enforcement organizations
b. Public health providers
c. School administrators
d. Local businesses
Dated: October 2019
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ADDENDUM B
Gun Safety Study Surveys
SURVEY #1 February 2020
Q.1. Do you think gun violence is an Arizona public safety concern?
Q.2. If yes, how serious a problem is it?
Q.3. When you think about public safety and guns in Arizona, is there a particular issue that concerns
you?
Q.4. The Issues: Please check your top 5 gun issues in Arizona regarding public safety.
· Mandatory background checks
· Register gun sales and ownership
· Online sales
· Mandatory training
· Mandatory licensing
· Waiting periods
· Domestic violence
· High Risk/Red Flag laws
· Safe storage
· Assault weapons ban
· High‐capacity magazines
· Open carry/concealed carry
· Guns in public spaces
· Gun buy‐back programs
· Gun lobby and industry accountability
· Guns and school safety
Q.5. Are there any issues you would add to this list? Please list any additions.
Q.6. Summary: Do you believe current AZ gun laws have made you and your family more safe or less
safe?
Q.7. Why?
Q. 8. Would you be interested in helping our committee as we move forward on this study? If so, please
contact .
Q. 9. Your age:
Q.10. Local League Affiliation/Membership
Greater Tucson
Metro Phoenix
Northwest Maricopa
Central Yavapai County
Greater Verde Valley
Flagstaff
No League Affiliation
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SURVEY #2 December 2020
Introduction
At the 2019 LWVAZ Convention, delegates approved a new 2‐year study entitled “State Gun Safety Study,
A Public Health Issue” to develop a position on gun safety issues.
We have worked diligently to inform our membership of our research through online events and 11 carefully
researched briefs called Facts & Issues which are focused on the concerns you indicated in a previous
survey.
We have one more survey we would like you to complete so that we can prepare our final gun safety policy
proposal for the LWVAZ Board in January. The proposal developed by the committee depends upon the
results of this survey. If approved by the Board the policy proposal will be presented at Convention for a
vote. We need to receive your survey submission within 10 DAYS. We respectfully request you take a few
minutes out of your day to complete the survey as soon as possible. Your personal input is so very
important.
Thank you on behalf of the LWVAZ Gun Safety Committee
Building Consensus on Arizona Gun Safety Survey
Q.1. Do you think gun violence in Arizona is a public health concern?
More than 90% of Americans support Universal Background Checks to purchase a gun. And yet in Arizona
anyone over 18 can legally buy a gun from an unlicensed seller with no questions asked because our state
does not mandate Universal Background Checks.
Q.2. Would you support mandatory background checks for all gun purchases?
Q.3. Would you support mandatory background checks for all firearm transfers (acquiring a gun through
inheritance or gift)?
Licensed firearms dealers are required to send the buyer’s information to NICS (National Instant Criminal
Background Check System) before selling a firearm. However, if NICS does not respond within three days,
the purchase is allowed to go through without a background check.
Q.4. Should a background check be completed before a purchase is allowed?
Q.5. Would you support requiring safety training for gun purchases?
When Connecticut required both permits (licenses) and background checks firearm suicide declined 15%
over the following decade. When Missouri repealed similar laws, the state experienced a 16% increase in
the firearm suicide rate over the following five years.
Q.6. Would you support laws that require a purchaser to obtain a permit or license and pass a background
check?
The so‐called Gun Show Loophole in federal firearms regulations exempts private dealers from running
background checks at gun shows.
Q.7. Would you support legislation requiring all dealers to run criminal background checks at gun shows?
A ghost gun is a homemade gun capable of being assembled in less than an hour with parts sold on the
internet. The resulting guns are not regulated, are mostly undetectable by metal detectors, and require no
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background checks. There are no statistics on how many ghost guns exist, but a good 30% of firearms
recovered by Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms in California are ghost guns.
Q.8. Would you support regulating ghost guns and/or their components?
Q.9. Would you support laws prohibiting online sales of kits, parts, or pre‐assembled guns?
An assault weapon is a semi‐automatic firearm that shoots a high‐capacity ammunition magazine designed
for rapid fire and mass destruction in combat. A high‐capacity magazine can hold 10 to 100 rounds. (A
round is a casing that holds everything needed to fire a single shot – a bullet, propellant/gunpowder, and
primer/compound that lights the propellant.)
Q.10. Would you support regulations on assault weapons?
Q.11. Would you support regulations on high‐capacity magazines?
Q.12. Would you support laws banning future sales of assault weapons?
Q.13. Would you support laws banning future sales of high‐capacity magazines?
Q.14. Would you support a state or community sponsored gun and ammunition buy‐back program?
Q.15. Should the presence of assault weapons be restricted to rifle ranges?
Fatal shootings on school grounds account for 0.2% of the approximately 36,000 gun deaths annually in the
United States, but their impact is devastating. Among the security measures proposed to address this
problem, school shooter drills have been shown to traumatize children and arming teachers has not been
shown to make children safer.
Q.16. Should school shooter safety drills be discouraged?
Q.17. Should we fund more school counselors in an effort to aid troubled students?
Q.18. Should we fund the hardening of schools? (Fencing, narrow windows, locked doors, metal detectors,
etc.)
There is no evidence that teachers or specially trained police with guns can keep children safe, but the
presence of a gun in the classroom may increase the potential for danger to students and the presence of
police feeds the school‐to‐prison pipeline and increases the likelihood that Black children, children of color,
and children with disabilities will be disproportionately punished.
Q.19. Do you believe teachers should be armed?
Q.20. Do you believe schools should have armed police on school grounds?
Black Americans are killed by guns at a rate 10 times higher than that of white Americans and guns are the
number one cause of death of Black children. New research shows that heavy sentences and incarceration
in general do very little to stop gun homicide, but that community‐ based violence intervention organizations
are an effective front‐line defense.
Q.21. Would you support funding for community‐based violence intervention programs?
Arizona’s Stand Your Ground Law gives individuals the right to use deadly force to defend themselves
without any requirement to evade or retreat from a dangerous situation. Research shows Stand Your
Ground Laws increase firearm homicides and injuries, fail to deter crime, and are unevenly applied to Black
and white shooters.
Q.22. Should AZ eliminate its Stand Your Ground Law?
Statistics show that Black Americans are killed by police at twice the rate of white Americans and are more
likely than their white peers to be killed while unarmed and while in police custody. Over 1,000 Americans
are killed each year by police.
Q.23. Would you support laws requiring more accountability for police shootings?
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