Inland Empire lawmaker’s bill to stop suicide at bridges advances in Legislature
Inland Empire lawmaker’s bill to stop suicide at bridges advances in Legislature
An Inland Empire state legislator is trying to make it harder for Californians to kill themselves on bridges.
In February, Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino, introduced Assembly Bill 440, which would require the state to identify the state-controlled bridges and roadways with the most suicides and the most attempted suicides and report back to the Legislature on potential strategies to reduce deaths by the end of 2027.
“We need to be proactive to ensure we provide at-risk individuals with the help they need,” Ramos is quoted as saying in a news release issued by his office. “Creating strategies that build in time to reconsider fatal choices can save lives and prevent long lasting traumatic pain in families and communities.”
The bill passed the Assembly on a 79-0 vote June 2 and moved on to the state Senate.
On Thursday, June 26, the bill advanced out of the Senate’s Committee on Health by an 11-0 vote.
AB 440 is headed next to the state Senate’s Appropriations Committee.
Ramos’ bill comes after a fall in which two Rancho Cucamonga teenagers killed themselves on the 210 Freeway at the Haven Avenue overpass, in mid- and late September.
According to a spokesperson for the city of Rancho Cucamonga, it had been at least a decade since the last suicides at the spot.Suicide is a not a new subject for Ramos to tackle. He helped create the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention in 2020 and has continued to advocate for suicide prevention, especially in the Native American community, since then.
According to the Assembly Committee on Health’s analysis of AB 440, suicide is the No. 1 cause of violent death and self-harm is the third leading cause of injury-related visits to emergency rooms.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, mental health resources are available, including free and low-cost services. They include:
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