Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence.[7] Everytown was created in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined forces.[8] Everytown for Gun Safety is largely financed by Michael Bloomberg,[9] who also founded the group.[10]
The organization works to "support efforts to educate policy makers, as well the press and the public, about the consequences of gun violence and promote efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals."[1] The group has focused on efforts to require universal background checks on firearms purchases.[11][12] The organization also produces research and studies on gun violence.
Contents
History[edit]
Origin[edit]
Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) was formed in April 2006 during a summit co-hosted by mayors Michael Bloomberg of New York City and Thomas Menino of Boston at New York's mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion.[13][14] Bloomberg and Menino co-chaired the coalition.[15] The initial group consisted of 15 mayors who signed a statement of principles.[16] By the end of 2014, there were 855 mayors in the coalition.[12][15][17]
In April 2014, MAIG merged with Moms Demand Action to form Everytown for Gun Safety.[18] The launch of Everytown occurred nearly one year after the U.S. Senate debated a series of changes to federal gun laws in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, including a failed amendment, sponsored by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey (R), that would have required background checks for all gun sales taking place at gun shows or over the internet.[19][20] According to Bloomberg, Everytown was founded to match the National Rifle Association in political influence.[18]
Issues[edit]
Background checks[edit]
The organization advocates for expanding the background check system for gun buyers through changes in state and federal laws, and supports legislation that would require background checks for all gun sales.[7] The organization also supports state laws requiring the reporting of mental health records to the national background check system.[21]
Domestic violence[edit]
Everytown has supported laws that prohibit domestic abusers from obtaining firearms.[22] Internal research produced by Everytown concludes that states that require background checks for private handgun sales have lower rates of intimate partner gun violence than states that do not require background checks.[23] According to the group, Everytown supported the passage of laws intended to block convicted domestic abusers and people subject to domestic violence restraining orders in six states in 2014: Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.[24]
Preventable injuries[edit]
The organization supports gun safety technology and laws requiring safe storage of firearms to prevent accidental child gun deaths, citing the high rate of firearm injuries among American children compared to other countries.[25]
Gun trafficking[edit]
The organization also favors strengthening penalties for gun trafficking through the creation of a federal gun trafficking statute.[26]
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