A Landmark Initiative to Bridge the Divide on Firearm Policy

In this time of tremendous polarization, especially surrounding the issues of firearm safety, policy, and rights, a unique, groundbreaking coalition of 23 gun rights and gun violence prevention leaders from across the nation is uniting to forge a new path forward. This initiative, operating under the name Bridging the Divide on Firearm Policy, represents a critical, unified effort to move beyond rhetoric and towards a consensus-based policy framework aimed at reducing gun deaths and building safer communities.

The Bridging the Divide on Firearm Policy project is an effort to bring gun owners and non-gun owners together to develop balanced, effective firearm policies rooted in mutual understanding rather than division. This project is unprecedented in that it is rooted in creating a policy based on the mutual collaboration of gun owners and gun violence prevention advocates—groups you wouldn't expect to work together. 

After months of intensive, structured dialogue led by Essential Partners, the coalition produced a comprehensive, state-level model gun policy that will substantially reduce gun violence while protecting the constitutional and due process rights of gun owners. 

This collaboration proves that meaningful consensus and real policy impact are possible, even among groups that have been at odds for decades. The project's guiding principle is that a shared commitment to data-driven solutions and responsible action can serve as the powerful bridge that America needs.

“At the core of this effort is a simple idea: Americans can solve hard problems if they’re willing to sit down, listen, and see each other as people first,” said Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine and the project director. “For too long, conversations about firearms have been framed as a zero-sum battle. But when you bring together neighbors—real people with real experiences—you quickly realize that there’s far more common ground than conflict.”

Early dialogue sessions revealed several shared principles across participants, including the desire to reduce gun-related deaths and a belief that at the core of any gun policy should be the principle that people who have been convicted of a violent crime should not possess guns. By focusing on practical solutions rather than political talking points, the initiative has built trust among participants who rarely find themselves in the same room.

The 67-page policy package comprises model state legislation that addresses a wide range of evidence-based strategies to effectively ensure public safety while still protecting the rights of firearm owners. Among the areas covered in the policy are prohibiting factors for gun ownership, state background checks, extreme risk protection orders, gun dealer regulation and trafficking prevention, firearm suicide prevention, secure storage, gun safety education, and community violence intervention.

The full, detailed policy package, as well as summaries of the project philosophy, participants, and novelty, as well as each component of the model legislation, are available for viewing or download from the project website at BridgeTheDivideNow.org.