The Washington chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after the Washington State House of Representatives passed HB 1759, legislation to require schools to share secure storage information with parents and guardians. Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers have been advocating for schools to share information about secure storage for years. Since the beginning of the legislative session, volunteers and supporters have sent 280 emails to lawmakers in Washington in support of gun safety.
“Washington lawmakers are once again heeding the call to lead the nation on gun safety with this first-of-its kind legislation,” said Justine Stromberg, a volunteer with the Washington chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We’re thankful to our lawmakers who understand the urgency of this moment. We look forward to supporting them throughout the rest of the legislative session to get this bill across the finish line.”
More than 2 million students across the country now live in a school district that requires schools to educate parents about the critical importance of secure firearm storage in keeping schools and students safe, thanks to the tireless advocacy of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers. But there are still too many children at home with unsecured guns putting our communities at risk of school gun violence and unintentional shootings. State lawmakers should follow the lead of school boards across the country and pass legislation to make sure all schools are sharing this life-saving information. If passed, the law would be the first-of-its-kind in the United States.
Statistics about gun violence in Washington are available here, and more information about secure storage devices is available here. Everytown’s interactive gun law platform — which shows the direct correlation between the strength of a state’s gun laws and its rate of gun deaths — is available here. If you have questions, or to request an interview with a volunteer from Washington Moms Demand Action please don’t hesitate to reach out.
