Amendment ID: S2265-24-R2

2nd Redraft Amendment 24

Commission to Prevent Gun Violence

Ms. Forry, Ms. Chang-Diaz and Mr. Eldridge move to amend the bill moves to amend the bill (Senate, No. 2265) by inserting after section 98 the following section:-

SECTION 98A. There shall be a gun violence prevention commission to study primary prevention of gun violence.

(a) The commission shall report to the governor and shall review and recommend programs and interventions to reduce gun violence and promote peace in the commonwealth. The commission shall make recommendations including, but not limited to, the following topics:

(i) promoting education in schools on gun violence and the social context of community violence, including, but not limited to, poverty, race, socio-economic status, geographic location and gender;

(ii) continuing research and education on gun trafficking and straw purchasing;

(iii) building relationships between law enforcement and community members;

(iv) improving services for homicide victims’ families and families of perpetrators, including trauma and rehabilitation services;

(v) improving post-prison planning and rehabilitation services; and

(vi) reducing inequities in gun violence and prevention programming.

(b) The commission shall consist of 1 expert on public health and gun violence who will be appointed chair by the governor. The chair will make recommendations to the governor to appoint the following: 1 representative from the department of public health; 1 representative from the department of mental health; 1 representative from the office of the attorney general; 1 additional expert on public health; 1 expert on mental health; 1 representative from the department of correction; 1 representative from the department of public safety and security; 1 representative from the parole board; 2 victim advocates; 1 prisoner advocate; 1 mental health advocate; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse; and 4 public members from communities that are affected by gun violence.

(c) The departments of public health, public safety and security and correction, the Boston public health commission and local boards of health and any other relevant departments will be required to share relevant data, including data on crimes, accidents and suicides, stratified by race, ethnicity and gender, as needed by the commission, to better inform recommendations.

(d) The commission shall submit a report at the end of each legislative session to the governor and the general court, the joint committee on public health and the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse. The report shall include data on gun violence and prevention in the commonwealth, recommendations for designing, implementing and improving gun violence prevention programs and services, including those that promote cultural competency, and any proposals for statutory or regulatory changes to reduce gun violence and promote peace in the commonwealth.  The final report shall be due by December 31, 2018.