In response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to address the country’s gun violence crisis, Donaldo Hernandez, M.D., President of the California Medical Association (CMA) issued the following statement:

"On behalf of its almost 50,000 members, the California Medical Association supports Governor Newsom’s efforts to address our nation’s gun violence epidemic while respecting responsible gun ownership. While California has one of the lowest gun death rates in the country due to its gun laws, the entire country is suffering the effects of mass shootings.

Gun violence is a public health crisis that impacts all Americans. Guns have become the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens¹, and in 2021 – the most recent year for which data is available² – more Americans died of gun-related injuries than any other year on record.

Physicians know firsthand the damages that firearms are causing in our communities. The ideas put forward by the Governor are reasonable, evidence-based solutions that enjoy broad public support and, more importantly, will save lives and keep communities safe."