Legislators reach out to Nevada on guns
issue and includes legislators from both parties,” Roberts said. “In addition, I would hope that the discussion would include other measures that focus on the entirety of the problem and not just guns.”
The letter from California lawmakers supports Nevada’s recent passage of gun control legislation, including Senate Bill 143, which mandates background checks for private-party gun sales. The measure was signed into law in February by Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat.
“However, we believe that much more can be done to prevent gun violence and ensure the safety of both Nevada and California residents,” the letter from California lawmakers said.
Sisolak said in a statement Tuesday that he has supported other measures, including a “red flag” law that removes guns from people deemed to pose a public threat, and he has said he would like to see additional gun safety measures in Nevada.
“I’m proud that we passed common-sense reforms that keep guns out of the hands of those who wish to do harm,” he said. “I will continue working with law enforcement, elected and community leaders, and subject-matter experts to explore different ways we can keep Nevadans safe.”
On Tuesday, Sisolak and California Gov. Gavin Newsom attended a conservation meeting at Lake Tahoe with leaders from California and Nevada.
Newsom said just after the Gilroy shooting that he wanted to talk to Sisolak about gun issues, but they had not connected. His office did not respond to a request for comment on whether the two governors have since talked about gun issues, including at Tuesday’s event.
The California legislators wrote that cooperation between states is needed “especially as congressional Republicans continue to block common-sense gun safety legislation.”
California has worked out cooperative agreements with other states in the past on other issues. Former Gov. Jerry Brown signed agreements to align California’s clean energy policies with those of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The pacts set nonbinding goals.
The idea of a two-state summit has the backing of California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), and the authors of the letter said they hope other states also improve cooperation on gun control.
“This summit would be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate groundbreaking, state-level coordination that could serve as a model for other states across the United States,” the legislators said.