LOS ANGELES - Today, after declaring Nov. 7 as "TALK Day"--a day to educate parents and children about preventing gun violence in the City of Los Angeles--Councilmember Paul Krekorian introduced a City Council motion that would require gun owners in LA to either store their firearms in a locked container or disable it with a trigger lock when not in use. Krekorian's motion goes further than current California state law in order to increase safety. State law requires only that safety locks be included with guns manufactured, sold or transferred in the state. It does not require that all firearms actually be disabled with a trigger lock or stored in a locked container when not in use. This motion would change that in the City of Los Angeles.
"It is critical for Los Angeles to lead on this issue," said Krekorian. "Requiring gun owners to lock up their firearms and store them safely will prevent needless accidents and tragedies. This sensible step will keep our schools and children safe."
Krekorian's motion will be heard by the City Council's Public Safety Committee and then return to the full City Council for a vote in several weeks. A similar law is already on the books in San Francisco.
Krekorian worked with Women Against Gun Violence and Councilmember Paul Koretz on TALK Day. Women Against Gun Violence works with Greater Los Angeles schools and parent associations to empower parents to protect their children by making the conversation about guns and safe gun storage routine, not adversarial and not political. To date, the project has provided more than 3,000 gun locks and engaged 10,000 people.