HR1043 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1043 LRB102 30181 ECR 42499 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In the United States, gun violence is a public health epidemic of enormous scope; violence, particularly gun violence, is a major public health problem and a leading cause of premature death; gun violence is the number one cause of death for children in the United States; on average, 110 people are killed every day in the United States by gun violence; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. experienced a record number of gun deaths and gun sales in 2020; 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., and gunshot wounds were the leading cause of death for kids and teens under 19 years of age; and

WHEREAS, When a child is shot and killed, decades of potential are lost, including the potential to grow up, to have a family, to contribute to society, and to pursue their passions in life; in 2018, firearm deaths accounted for 919,185 years of potential life lost before the age of 65; this total of potential years lost is more than the combination of years lost by diabetes, strokes, and liver disease; and

WHEREAS, The cost of gun violence takes a large toll on the economy; Harvard Medical School researchers found that gun violence costs the U.S. approximately $557 billion annually or 2.6 percent of gross domestic product; and

WHEREAS, Gun violence costs Illinois $18.6 billion each year, including $625.5 million of which is paid by taxpayers; Illinois has the 40th highest societal cost of gun violence in the U.S. at $1,468 per resident each year; and

WHEREAS, Gun violence disproportionately affects the Black community; gun violence affects all children, but children of color are at greatest risk; most shooting deaths go unmentioned in national discourse and continue to disproportionately impact Black communities; and

WHEREAS, Young Black men are 20 times more likely to be killed by a gun than young white men; between 2019 and 2020, gun deaths and homicides increased by 39.5 percent among Black people, and Black men ages 15 to 34 were more than 20 times as likely to be killed with a gun than white men of the same age; the number of Black women killed by guns also increased by 50 percent in the same time period; and

WHEREAS, In 2019, Black Americans represented 14 percent of the nation's population yet accounted for 52 percent of all homicide victims; in 2019, Illinois was second in the entire nation among states for Black homicide victimization rate; and

WHEREAS, A Black person's life expectancy on average is less when compared to a white person's life expectancy; when comparing life expectancy in Chicago's Austin neighborhood to the Chicago Loop, there is a difference of 11 years between Black life expectancy of 71 years and white life expectancy of 82 years; and

WHEREAS, The devastation gun violence inflicts on Black teens and adults is a crisis that should be a top priority for policymakers; a critical part of ending the gun violence epidemic will involve reducing homicides in the Black community; and

WHEREAS, Wrap around services are needed to address the impact of gun violence and prevent future gun violence; medical care, including safety net hospitals, mental health treatment, including inpatient and outpatient behavioral health, affordable housing, economic empowerment such as jobs, childcare, and cultural awareness, and nutrition, including access to healthy and affordable food, education, and public safety are the basic essentials of a quality life; services must be accessible, and education and awareness efforts about available services must be offered; and

WHEREAS, Many violence and gun violence prevention programs and services are in existence, including trauma centers, wrap around services, family resource centers, RPSA, R3-ICEJA, coordinated care for various co-morbidities, medical treatment, mental health crisis, public health crisis, burial assistance, and grantee income programs; these programs and services make up a significant investment in public safety and trauma recovery in the 2023 budget; with all of this in place, violence and gun violence are still at public health crisis levels, and more must be done; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that as the General Assembly works to ban assault weapons it should also endeavor to provide victim services before and after acts of violence; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly should strive to provide consistent appropriation for State agencies to provide support systems that wrap around the basic essentials of life and reduce violence occurring in communities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this approach to violence and gun violence needs to be addressed through a comprehensive approach and a lens of equity that includes but is not limited to communications and messaging, education and training, treatment and counseling, grantee income programs, trauma centers and family resource centers, affordable housing and healthcare, community engagement and leadership, outreach and awareness, and wrap around services and community health workers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly herein voices its support for continued appropriations intended to stem the ever-rising incidents of violence in Illinois, including but not limited to medical and mental health services, training and education, trauma informed treatment and care, economic investments for victims of gun violence and their families, and communications messaging on how to access resources.