Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Senators Roxanne Persaud and Brian Kavanagh, Assemblymember Matthew Titone, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Gays Against Guns, and the New York Chapters of Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence's Petition to Governor Cuomo to Create a Gun Violence Research Institute in New York State.

As a champion for gun violence prevention, we urge you to fund a Firearms Violence Research Institute in the 2018-19 Executive State Budget. New York must lead the way in conducting scientific research to better understand and prevent the gun violence that is plaguing the nation and claiming 33,000 lives each year.

New York has worked hard to prevent gun violence through community gun violence prevention programs and the SAFE Act, which became the first state law passed in response to the Sandy Hook shooting. It is clear that common-sense legislation and effective community programs prevent gun violence. But we must do more.

Gun violence is a public health crisis. While other major health and safety concerns such as motor vehicle accidents, heart disease, and tobacco have rightly received expanded research, far too little research has been conducted on firearm violence. Investment in scientific research helped identify ways to reduce motor vehicle deaths, from seat belts to frontal airbags, and saved hundreds of thousands of lives without banning cars. The late Congressman Jay Dickey regretted his amendment prohibiting funding for gun violence research and later promoted its repeal.

January 8th marks seven years since the shooting in Tucson, AZ of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and eighteen others. We remember the six lives that were lost and express gratitude to the Congresswoman for her commitment to preventing gun violence and promoting state research centers. This anniversary and the recent mass shootings across the country highlight the need to research gun violence and its impacts, which causes an enormous amount of human suffering.

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and Senator Roxanne Persaud sponsor legislation (A.2977/S.4363) that details how to establish a Firearms Violence Research Institute in New York.

Sign this petition to urge Governor Cuomo to continue to lead the way on gun violence prevention and include $5 million in funding for Firearms Violence Research Institute in the 2018-19 Executive State Budget.