Arizona Lawmakers Rebuke Report Advocating Removal of Firearms from Homes with Children
Representatives Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss argue that the proposal represents a blatant infringement on Second Amendment rights.
A legislative report from Arizona addressing child fatalities, which recommends the removal of all firearms from homes with children, has faced backlash from two lawmakers, who claim it violates Second Amendment rights.
The leading causes of these preventable deaths included motor vehicle accidents, firearm injuries, suffocation, fentanyl overdoses, and drowning.
“In 2023, 68 children died due to firearm injuries, marking an alarming 171 percent increase in child firearm-related deaths over the past decade,” noted the report.
All 68 firearm-related fatalities in 2023 were classified as preventable according to the report.
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“The CFRP concluded that access to firearms is the most substantial risk factor for firearm-related deaths; therefore, they believe the most effective means to mitigate these deaths is to eliminate all firearms from homes with children, as the presence of guns notably increases the risk of adolescent suicides.
“It is crucial for all parents with teenagers to eliminate guns from their households, particularly if there is a history of mental health issues or substance abuse.”
“Furthermore, the CFRP suggests that all gun owners practice safe storage by keeping firearms unloaded and securely locked separately from ammunition.”
In their correspondence with ADHS, Nguyen and Bliss described the CFRT’s findings as a “radical assault on the constitutional rights of Arizonans,” drawing parallels with state attempts to undermine Second Amendment protections.
“We are outraged that the CFRT, representing the Arizona Department of Health Services, is advocating for the curtailment of Arizonans’ Second Amendment rights in their own residences,” the lawmakers asserted.
As the chair of Arizona’s House Judiciary Committee, Nguyen emphasized, “Proposals that aim to disarm citizens are not only unconstitutional but also devoid of common sense.”
“While the report proposes sensible safety measures concerning other risks, like drowning, the CFRT overreaches by suggesting the complete removal of firearms from homes with children.”
Both lawmakers affirmed that effective policy solutions to complex issues should safeguard constitutional rights rather than diminish them.
In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 1,732 gun-related deaths involving minors under 18, with that figure escalating to 2,590 by 2021.
These minors lost their lives through diverse means, including suicides, accidental shootings, and homicides, as indicated in the report.
Regardless of a child’s ability to access or use a firearm, the strictest laws impose penalties for negligent storage.
