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Council approves motion to publicize safety questions for parents about guns in others' homes
Summary
The City Council approved an amended resolution urging parents to consider specific safety questions before children visit other homes and instructed the Information Technology Agency to produce a PSA and brochure to raise awareness.
The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve an amended motion encouraging parents to ask safety questions about guns in other households and directing the Information Technology Agency to prepare a public service announcement and educational brochure.
Councilmember Goldberg introduced the item and several councilmembers debated two contentious clauses: whether parents should be urged not to allow children to visit homes with unsafe firearms storage, and whether the council should issue a stronger directive. Councilmember Savornich (Sivanich in the record) offered amendments to have the Information Technology Agency (ITA) air a PSA on Channel 35 listing recommended questions and to prepare a short brochure for distribution through schools. Councilmember Feuer moved to excise the more prescriptive clause that some members opposed.
Speakers who supported the motion said it would raise parental awareness and help prevent accidental shootings; Councilmember Goldberg said parents should know whether a gun in a visiting home is locked and whether ammunition is stored separately. Opponents, including Councilmember Holden, argued that the measure risked invading privacy or amounted to telling parents how to parent; Holden recorded a no vote.
The council approved the motion as amended, recorded as "14 ayes, 1 no." The approved amendments instruct ITA to prepare a PSA for Channel 35 that lists the suggested questions and to work with the school district on a brochure for distribution to families.
The council also agreed to remove the more contentious "do not allow" language from the motion so the final version focuses on public education and outreach rather than enforcement or mandates. The amended motion asked ITA to report back on implementation details to the relevant committees.
