Bauer invited to White House for discussion on gun violence prevention
On Wednesday, Dec. 13, State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D - South Bend) will attend a convening of state legislative leaders at the White House to address gun violence prevention. This past legislative session, Rep. Bauer successfully amended Students Demand Action language into House Enrolled Act 1177, which requires The Indiana Department of Education and Indiana State Police to send information to school parents and guardians about how to properly store firearms in a home where children are also present. As gun violence continues to plague our state and our nation, prevention remains a top priority for Bauer heading into the 2024 Legislative Session.
“I am honored to have been invited to the White House to discuss the important issue of gun violence prevention at the state level,” Bauer said. “As this deadly epidemic impacts the entire nation, especially youth, strategizing with other leaders to create a safer future is key to policy change. I look forward to hearing from legislators across the country about their efforts on this topic, and applying what I learn to my work in the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
“Since Indiana passed permitless carry in 2022, creating less safe environments for law enforcement officers and first responders, it has become evident that we must collaborate to pass common sense gun safety measures that protect citizens from gun violence and children from accessing firearms. Examples would be support for hospital-based intervention to reduce recidivism and generational trauma, and child access prevention laws.
“Indiana ranks the third in the nation for the most unintentional shootings by children —behind Florida and Texas which have significantly larger populations. The 25 accidental shootings this year as a result of a child gaining access to a gun, were completely preventable, like 1-year-old Kylin Brooks, who was tragically shot and killed in South Bend this August when his 3-year-old cousin found a handgun under a pillow. In his memory, and for all lives lost to gun violence, let's take action to prevent another family from having to bury their child after an accident like this.”