John —
When I proposed a Constitutional Amendment to make our communities safer from gun violence, I told you that California would be the first state to take the action necessary to make it happen.
The time has come.
Yesterday afternoon, the legislature introduced the official language calling for a national Constitutional Convention on gun violence.
Soon, our legislators will vote. Everyone will be watching. So before they do, I want you to take a small and simple action that will send a powerful message about the grassroots support for this idea:
Here is part of the official language I am asking you to say you support:
Impose, as a matter of national policy, the following firearms regulations and prohibitions: (a) universal background checks as a prerequisite to purchase or acquisition of a firearm, (b) a prohibition on sales, loans or other transfers of firearms to those under 21 years of age, subject to limited exceptions, (c) a minimum waiting period after purchase or acquisition of a firearm before that firearm may be delivered to the buyer or acquirer, and (d) a prohibition on private possession of assault weapons and other weapons of war.
If neither Republicans in Congress nor the courts will take action to help make our communities safer from gun violence, then we — the people — must do it ourselves.
Convening a constitutional convention requires 34 state legislatures to call for this.
It starts with one, and California will be the first.
Will finding 33 more states who will call to amend the Constitution be easy? No, of course not, I am clear-eyed about that.
But it starts with demonstrating national, grassroots support for this idea. So I am asking:
Thank you,
Gavin Newsom
