Require Background Checks and Mental Health Assessments in Firearm Sales

After yesterday's tragedy in Goleta, California, it is evident that changes must be made. Banning guns is certainly not the solution but small reform is needed. We need to keep firearms in the hands of our average, hard-working American citizen and out of the hands of criminals and mentally ill people. Taking guns away from a responsible American is the worst thing we can do. However, as Americans, we cannot let mentally unstable citizens go on random shooting sprees and kill our fellow citizens. It's time for us to confront this problem and initiate a law that requires both a background check and a mental health assessment when purchasing a firearm. This will ensure that responsible citizens can continue to use their guns in a proper way while we can also prevent firearm tragedies.