Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Impose Tax on Ammunition to Raise Funds for State Trauma Centers
Sen. Don Perata (D-Oakland) has offered a proposal that would impose a five-cent tax on each round of ammunition sold in California to help fund the state's "struggling" emergency rooms and trauma centers, the Copley News Service/San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The proposal, which Perata introduced as an amendment to the state constitution, would require a two-thirds vote in both the Assembly and the Senate. If passed in the Legislature, the amendment would appear on the November ballot for voter approval. According to Perata, many patients with gun-related injuries do not have health insurance and receive treatment in emergency rooms, the "costs of which often are borne by taxpayers" (Sweeney, Copley News Service/San Diego Union-Tribune, 4/11). He added, "There's no reason why the general public should be paying for gunshot victims. ... It is a preventable injury, and therefore, I think it's fair to fix a very small tax on the sale of bullets" (AP/TheSanDiegoChannel.com, 4/1). Perata did not estimate the amount that the tax would raise. Lawmakers predicted that the bill would not pass in the Legislature (Copley News Service/San Diego Union-Tribune, 4/11).
This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.