A recent annual report by the Arizona Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) to the Arizona State Legislature prompted Prescott-area state representatives Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss, chair and vice-chair of the House Judiciary Committee, to send a letter to Jennie Cunico, cabinet executive officer of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), voicing strong objections to the report, which reviewed child deaths in 2023.
The report includes CFRT’s recommendation that “the most effective way to prevent firearm-related deaths in children is to remove all firearms in households with children because the presence of firearms in a household increases the risk of suicide among adolescents.”
In their letter to ADHS, representatives Nguyen and Bliss criticized CFRT’s recommendation, equating it to efforts by other states to curtail Second Amendment freedoms, stating:
“We are appalled that the CFRT, speaking on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services, is actually advocating for stripping Arizonans of their Second Amendment rights in their own homes. This radical proposal is reminiscent of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2023 gun control order, which attempted to prohibit the carrying of firearms in public for self-defense. You may recall that Governor Grisham’s order—accurately characterized as ‘insanely unconstitutional’ and ‘outrageous’—was swiftly blocked in court.”
The letter also noted the inconsistencies in CFRT’s approach. It highlighted that while the CFRT’s report cited 31 child drowning deaths in 2023, the team did not recommend banning pools and hot tubs. Instead, the CFRT advocated for common-sense safety measures, such as close supervision, increased availability of swim lessons, and proper pool enclosures.
The representatives concluded, “Effective policy solutions—even for problems that are difficult and complex—must be designed to fully protect constitutional rights and liberties. We urge you to direct the CFRT to reconsider its unjustified attack on the Second Amendment and amend its report.”