As Pennsylvania’s Gov. Josh Shapiro attempts to advocate for his budget in the coming months, a recent press conference put the spotlight on gun violence, and Shapiro’s efforts to address the issue. Shapiro, a Democrat, is proposing $1 million to create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The office would create and coordinate strategies to reduce gun violence, and the funds used to create the office would come out of a proposed $100 million for public safety in Shapiro’s budget.
The effort is backed by many of Shapiro’s allies, including Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis who spoke at a press conference at the state capitol last week surrounded by gun safety advocates.
“Some people in this building, all they want to do is offer thoughts and prayers,” Davis said. “Let’s be clear — thoughts and prayers are not enough. We need real action in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania”
The proposed Office of Gun Violence prevention would be nested under the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, chaired by Davis. It mimics the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention established in September 2023, and Davis said Pennsylvania is proud to be one of the first states to take action since then.
“Now is the time to double down on our efforts and make sure that even more is being done and that we’re even more effective,” Davis said.
Volunteers with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action and CeaseFire PA, gun safety advocate groups, all surrounded Davis as he spoke. Members from the support group Clairton Moms, a coalition of mothers who have lost their children to violence, also attended the rally.
“We haven’t done enough to address gun violence and there are hundreds more empty seats at family diner tables every year to prove it,” Rep. Dan Frankel (D., Allegheny) said. “It is shameful that this is the leading cause of death for children.”
Frankel, who attended and spoke at the conference, represents the district where the Tree of Life synagogue shooting happened. The shooting killed 11 people and injured six others. Frankel has continued to introduce and advocate for gun safety bills in the Pennsylvania legislature.
It’s unclear if the office would pass through the Republican-controlled state senate. Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward spoke with several news outlets after the press conference, and expressed concern over simply creating an office.
As budget negotiations continue, gun violence is nearly certain to be at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds.
