ACR 61: Filicide Awareness Week.

WHEREAS, The month of April has been recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention Month since 1983; and

WHEREAS, Too many children are often targets of neglect and mental, physical, and sexual abuse that occur mainly within their household and, tragically, sometimes lead to filicide; and

WHEREAS, There are approximately 500 filicide cases in the United States every year that are made all too easy by limitless access to guns; and

WHEREAS, On average, one child per week is murdered by a parent or stepparent during divorce, separation, visitation, or custody negotiations; and

WHEREAS, Family law attorneys have the power to contribute their efforts to protect minor children during these proceedings; and

WHEREAS, The organization Pierce’s Pledge has played a significant role in bringing awareness to filicide and was established in honor of its namesake, Pierce Howard Hu; and

WHEREAS, Pierce’s Pledge was born out of the tragic killing of nine-year-old Pierce Howard Hu at the hands of his father in January 2021, in San Francisco’s Marina District, where Pierce was shot in his sleep in a murder-suicide; and

WHEREAS, Pierce’s murder shattered the hearts of his mother Lesley, family, friends, and the community; and

WHEREAS, Pierce’s Pledge is dedicated to supporting the families of filicide victims in the aftermath by honoring the lives of victims, engaging the community in dialogue for exposing abuse, and collaborating with other service providers to expand resources and increase their availability; and

WHEREAS, Pierce’s Pledge empowers family law attorneys to contribute their efforts to protect and keep minor children safe during custody negotiations and has become a leading voice in the gun violence prevention space; and

WHEREAS, Requiring clients to disclose and temporarily remove weapons to a third-party location during the time of representation reduces the potential for violence, domestic abuse, violent threats, uneven power struggles, and murder; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the week of April 9, 2025, to April 15, 2025, inclusive, to be Filicide Awareness Week, supports the efforts of Pierce’s Pledge, and encourages all family law attorneys to take Pierce’s Pledge in an effort to keep all children safe; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.