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The White House will bring together Wednesday what administration officials say is the largest-ever gathering of state legislators focused on gun violence prevention.

Lawmakers want to do more to curb gun violence, but many don't know where to start, said Stefanie Feldman, JD, director of the during a call with reporters on Tuesday. To that end, Vice President Kamala Harris, who oversees the new office, will provide the type of guidance these legislators have been seeking, Feldman stated.

The "Safer States Agenda" that Harris will present details concrete strategies to help reduce gun violence and save lives, not only from mass shootings but from community violence, domestic violence, and suicide, Feldman said. "We are going to continue to call on Congress to act, but in the meantime, we're going to be working hand-in-hand with states to advance all these agenda items."

Specifically, Harris will encourage states to implement key actions, including:

• Launching individual state offices of gun violence prevention, similar to the White House's own office
• Investing in "evidence-informed solutions" and interventions such as , and implementing or "red flag" laws, which allow courts to remove firearms from individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others
• Increasing support for gun violence survivors and victims
• Promoting responsible gun ownership, such as requiring safe storage and reporting of lost or stolen firearms
• Establishing stronger gun background checks, including implementing universal background check legislation and removing roadblocks to enhanced background checks
• Holding the gun industry responsible by banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and implementing firearm-specific liability laws

In addition, on Wednesday the Department of Justice (DOJ) will share two model bills: one aimed at increasing safe storage of firearms and holding individuals liable for harm that results from unsecured firearms; and a second bill focused on tracking lost and stolen firearms.

"We know that safe storage saves lives," Feldman said, adding that most students involved in K-12 school shootings have used firearms from their own home or that of a friend or family member. Safe storage is also key to reducing suicide deaths, accidental shootings, and firearm theft, she noted.

The DOJ's other model bill gives states a blueprint for implementing a requirement that individuals "promptly report the loss or theft" of a firearm to law enforcement, according to a White House press release.

When the White House first launched the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September, leaders stressed that one of the office's core responsibilities involved "enhancing the federal government's partnerships with cities and states to help them advance their own efforts to reduce gun violence," the press release noted.

During that launch, President Biden explained that when a hurricane "overwhelms a community," the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) steps in, a senior administration official said during the press call. But if a mass shooting occurs, there is no parallel federal response."We need a FEMA for mass shootings and upticks in gun violence," the official added.

Currently, "dozens" of existing federal programs are available to help support communities that have been affected by gun violence. One responsibility of this new office will be to help state leaders identify those programs and how to access them, the official noted.

In addition, a senior DOJ official noted, states themselves have a leadership role to play. The safe storage model legislation being presented on Wednesday was informed by state statutes in more than a dozen states, the official said. "[N]o single city, state, or federal agency has a monopoly on good ideas when it comes to a problem as intractable as gun violence ... This is a nationwide problem and it's going to require everybody bringing their best ideas to the table."

Looking ahead, Feldman said, the White House's new office and the vice president are going to "continue to proactively work with states to make sure that they have the additional resources and support they need to advance these agenda items."

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