My son would be 16. This bill in his honor could save other lives | Opinion
This week, I should be celebrating my son’s 16th birthday. I should be teaching him how to drive. Instead, I am writing this plea so that my son’s death is not in vain.
Five years ago, my sweet, funny, quiet 10-year-old son, Wyland, was murdered by his father, who then took his own life.
My son’s death did not have to happen: A lack of regulatory oversight allowed his father to buy a gun.
Right now, the California Legislature can make sure that this tragedy does not happen to anyone else by ensuring that Wyland’s memory serves as a protective blanket for other families.
Lawmakers must pass Wyland’s Law, Assembly Bill 1363. This bill, authored by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, D-San Francisco, closes the deadly loopholes in our justice system by requiring courts to provide proof that protective orders — including firearm prohibitions— are sent to the California Department of Justice.
AB 1363 also enables the DOJ to create an automated system so that survivors and law enforcement can track the status of those orders in real time. These safeguards have been supported and recommended by the DOJ and exist in other states like Washington and Colorado. California families deserve no less.
When California courts issue a restraining order that requires someone to surrender their firearms, that order should be enforced every single time. Yet, today, too often it is not. Critical information gets lost in transmission, leaving families exposed to danger.
I know the cost of these failures all too well. Four years before Wyland was murdered, the court had issued a restraining order against Wyland’s father that included a firearm prohibition. But that order, like two of three others, was never properly transmitted to the DOJ. When he later applied for a gun, the background check showed no record of the order. He was approved.
This past July, I testified before the California Senate Judiciary Committee. My message was simple: This bill will not bring Wyland back, but it will save lives. It will stop protective orders from falling into a black hole. And it will save a mom, a family and a school full of children from grieving the loss of a little boy.
My son paid with his life because the system failed to enforce its own laws.
Wyland’s Law gives survivors the tools I never had. It ensures that protective orders don’t disappear into bureaucratic silence and that families can confirm their loved ones are truly protected. It is about accountability, transparency and safety.
The bill’s biggest obstacle right now isn’t political will — it’s the budget. California faces a $12–25 billion deficit, and legislators are under pressure to avoid new spending. Although Wyland’s law has some associated costs, they are necessary to ensure that these systems never break down again (the courts projected that the bill would cost them approximately $2.1–3.3 million to implement, though policy experts at Giffords believe this cost is inflated in the short term because it will take time for the policy to be adopted by the public).
And costs have been kept as minimal as possible: While the most critical protections take effect immediately, the automated protective order notification system, which the DOJ estimates will cost a few million dollars to implement, can be funded in future years when the budget allows. Any costs associated with Wyland’s Law are not only justified; they are necessary to make the existing law work.
California often boasts of having the toughest gun laws in the nation. But strong laws mean nothing without strong enforcement.
Christy Camara Gomes grew up and resides in Hanford. She has written a book about Wyland’s life and believes that sharing her story will help bereaved parents normalize their feelings.