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From the Executive Director


Hello and welcome to our February Newsletter:

I wanted to first thank all of generous supporters who helped sustain our work via your donations for #GivingTuesday and our Year End Appeal. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus‘ fight against the gun lobby cannot happen without you.

We hit the ground running in early January as guns on campus and other abhorrent proposals popped up all over. To give you some idea of how hot this issue is, we are asking our supporters to take action in 6 states and in Congress.

We are currently fighting guns on campus bills in Idaho, New York, West Virginia and Wyoming. The Campaign is also assisting our colleagues in Florida to help stop permitless carry.

In Georgia, our S.A.F.E. to Thrive project is moving ahead.  Read about the project and a safe gun storage bill recently introduced in GA’s State Senate.

February 1st through 7th is Gun Violence Victims’ week. This year we are focusing on one particular story submitted by one of most valued volunteers – Charlie Allenson, who wrote about his niece, Becca.

Look for our tributes to Black History Month on social media. In addition, on February 14th we will acknowledge the 15th year since the North Illinois University shooting and the 5th year since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

On the federal level, the new Congress is taking up the Federal Ban on Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines, along with Ethan’s Law – requiring safe gun storage.  These bills each passed the House last session, but we need to start over again. Take action below.

Finally, please consider becoming a monthly, sustaining member of The Campaign by clicking here: “Monthly Member“.

Thanks for all you do!

Andy Pelosi, Executive Director/Co-Founder




State Action Center – Is Yours At Risk? 


Florida

Dangerous legislation has been introduced in the House (HB 543), which will allow unregulated carrying of concealed handguns (and other dangerous weapons).

Act now and contact the Committee Chair:

Rep. Spencer Roach
850-717-5076.

Tell the staff person that you oppose HB 543.


West Virginia

The West Virginia State Senate passed SB 10 (guns on campus). This bill is now before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Delegates and could be heard at any time. 

Please make two calls today:

WV House Speaker
Roger Hanshaw
(304) 340-3210

WV House Judiciary Chair Moore Capito
(304) 340-3252

Tell the staff person that you oppose “SB 10”  – guns on campus and that you do not want the bill to move forward. Indicate if you are a student or faculty member. 


Wyoming

A new bill (HB 105) is in  committee. This bill will take authority away from public colleges and universities to regulate weapons on campus, among other things

No action is required at this time, as the bill may be dead.


New York

S.1407 will change current state law, which prohibits guns on New York’s public colleges and universities. 

Your help is needed now to defeat this bill. 

 

Click here to send a message to your New York State Senator.


Georgia

Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children and teenagersin the US. More kids lose their lives to gun inflicted injuries than to car accidents or disease.

S.A.F.E. to Thrive, a fiscally sponsored program of The Campaign, continues to provide Georgians with free training on the safe storage of firearms, along with free gun and trigger locks for parents, care providers, and other human services professionals for their  distribution.

This month, GA Senator Elena Parent introduced SB75 – legislation requiring all parents to safely store and lock firearms away from children’s hands. Watch for Georgia actions to come.


Idaho

In 2014, Idaho signed legislation to allow the carrying of concealed handguns in many locations on public college and universities spaces.  However, the law also allowed for exclusion zones (gun free locations).   SB 1008 would remove the ability of higher education entities from prohibiting guns at all.

Please take action and contact the bill Sponsor, Senator Dan Foreman (208) 332-1405.

Tell the staffer that you oppose this bill.


Federal Action Center


Pass The Assault Weapons Ban


Military-style weapons and high capacity magazines do not belong on our streets.

Tell Congress:

Pass the Assault Weapons Ban Now


Give Us Ethan’s Law


All firearms should be safely stored away whenever children are present – in the home or in the workplace.  

Tell Congress:

Pass Ethan’s Law Requiring Safe Storage


Commemorating Gun Violence Victims Week – Feb. 1-7


Rebecca Eldemire

1993-2015


To say that Becca was smart, kind, forward thinking, and beautiful, leaves so much unsaid. 

Becca was studying global sustainability at Miami of Ohio University. And she was in an honor society in that field. She drove around with a mesh pet carrier in case she came across a wandering dog or cat so she could return it the owner. She volunteered to teach English in a small Tanzanian village and shut down the local militia when they showed up with  AK 47s to “tax” her textbooks.

Becca was one of those young women who could have changed the world for the better in so many ways. She grew as a person and realized things weren’t working out with her current boyfriend. She broke up with him. Later that evening he talked his way into her dorm and put two .357 Magnum rounds into her face as she slept.

Perhaps the saddest thing of all, is that while Becca was unique, there are thousands of other victims different than Becca, yet exactly like her. We can’t forget any of them. And we must work together so there aren’t any more.


Feb. 14 – Remember Parkland (5yrs) and Northern Illinois U. (15yrs)




The Campaign In The News – Times Higher Education



The Campaign’s Executive Director Andy Pelosi was quoted in a recent article appearing in Times Higher Education – a publication geared towards higher ed faculty and other college and university teaching professionals. Entitled “Lawmakers push to allow guns on US university campuses” the piece talks about the nationwide controversy over guns on campus, with a particular focus on West Virginia, while also pointing out other state battles over guns on campus that are brewing for the year ahead.


Changes At The Campaign – New Board Members


Marlene Sallo, Esq.

Marlene currently works as the Executive Director of The National Disability Rights Network and has a long history of public service.  Welcome Marlene!


Shirley Drew Triplett, Ph. D.

Shirley recently retired from Pittsburg State University in Kansas where she worked for a number of years as a Professor of Communications.  Welcome Shirley!

 



Two Founding Members Step Down

We are grateful for the dedicated service of Co-Founder and Board Chair John Johnson and long time Board Member Jackie Williams Kaye have given to The Campaign To Keep Guns off Campus.


 

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The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus • PO Box 658 • Croton Falls, NY 10519