Passing Senate Bill 649

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Health Policy Learning Activity

Exploring the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013

Introduction

Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013, also known as bill S.649, was introduced in Senate on March 21, 2013. Title I, the Fix Gun Checks Act, ensures that every sale of a firearm will require a background check and that an electronic database will list all individuals who are prohibited from buying a firearm (National Instant Criminal Background Check System – ‘NICS’). Title II, the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act, creates Federal offenses in order to authorize stronger punishment for both front-runners of trafficking groups as well as criminals who buy firearms for people who cannot acquire them legally (“straw-purchasing”). Title III, the School and Campus Safety Enhancements Act, dedicates more funds to schools districts and universities for school security, and aims to create and operate a ‘National Center for Campus Public Safety’ to coordinate and strengthen security, train responding personnel, and aid in consistent prevention. Just as the name of the bill suggests, these titles affect all members of every community of the United States, as well as individuals affiliated (students and staff) of our educational system. The purpose of this bill is to improve and ensure the safety and sense of security to all, a highly important quality of life issue. We, as nursing students, are exploring the different aspects of the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 which include: provisions, those who will be impacted, the various pros and cons, as well as our personal evaluation of the bill.

Assessment

The major stakeholders involved in this bill are dependent on the title. In Title I, entitled the “Fix G...

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...). Statement of administration policy- Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013. Retrieved from www.whitehouse.gov/sites/.../saps649s_20130411.pdf‎

State of California. (2012). California Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms Firearms Prohibiting Categories. Retrieved from https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/pdfs/firearms/forms/prohibcatmisd.pdf

Trumble, S. & Hatalsky, L.E. (2013). What You Need to Know About the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act. Social Policy and Politics Program. March 2013. Retrieved from http://issuu.com/thirdway/docs/third_way_one

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1997). Rates of homicide, suicide, and fire-arm related deaths among children in industrialized countries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Retrieved from http://cdc.gov/mmwr/pre-view/mmwrhtml/00046149.htm

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