OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement celebrating the passage of HB 1163 through the Law and Justice Committee. The bill would require firearm purchasers to obtain a permit before purchasing a gun. Additionally, the legislation strengthens firearm safety training requirements. Earlier this week, gun safety advocates testified in favor of the legislation and urged lawmakers to advance it. HB 1163 will now head to the Senate Ways and Means committee before heading to the Senate floor.
“It’s encouraging to see our lawmakers continue to prioritize gun safety and address America’s gun violence crisis with the urgency it deserves,” said Finley Gonzales, a volunteer with Kamiak High School Students Demand Action chapter. “Permit to purchase is a key component of responsible gun ownership. This policy is something everyone should be able to get behind because it makes our communities safer. We’re going to keep pushing to get this bill across the finish line.”
Among the testimonies in this week’s hearing, lawmakers heard from Angel Stokes, gun violence survivor, fourth grade teacher from Everett and a volunteer with Washington Moms Demand Action, who shared her story about her daughters lost their father after he gained access to a gun during a moment of crisis and told lawmakers the importance of requiring a permit to purchase a firearm, helping law enforcement to remove guns from people who have become prohibited from firearm ownership after purchase.
In addition, lawmakers also heard from Tahana Salvadalena, a gun violence survivor, nurse practitioner and volunteer with Washington Moms Demand Action from Olympia who shared her survivor story about losing her grandmother to gun violence and told lawmakers that: “Guns are now the leading cause of death for children above any other trauma or illness. All of these losses impact their families and communities making them more at risk for mental health disorders and financial loss.”
As we await further legislative action on HB 1163, Washington Moms Demand Action and Student Demand Action Volunteers will continue to advocate for show up and testify to continue Washington’s work as a national leader in the fight against gun violence.
Statistics about gun violence in Washington are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Rankings – which shows how Washington’s gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here.
If you are interested in speaking with a Washington Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, please reach out to [email protected].