The Idaho chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement after state lawmakers gaveled out without passing one of the session’s most extreme gun bills, Senate Bill 1384, legislation that would have forced more guns on school grounds:
“This is significant progress,” said Nicole Brown, a volunteer with Idaho Moms Demand Action. “The gun lobby pulled out all the stops this year, but we stood firm in our commitment to helping defeat this bill. It’s a big win for public safety and a step forward in Idaho.”
The defeated bill:
- SB 1384, which would have forced Idaho K-12 schools to allow any employee to carry guns into elementary, middle, and high schools, was defeated in the Senate State Affairs Committee on a 5-4 vote.
- In 2019, similar proposed legislation to force Idaho schools to allow guns on school grounds failed after significant opposition from the public, including the Idaho Sheriffs Association and the Idaho Chiefs of Police who issued a joint statement condemning the proposal.
This session, Idaho Moms Demand Action defeated SB 1384 by:
- Urging legislators to vote against SB 1384. Volunteers testified at the statehouse and called and emailed their legislators, completing more than 1,000 actions throughout the legislative session to educate lawmakers about the risks associated with SB 1384 and urge them to prioritize solutions that would keep Idaho children safe.
- Holding an advocacy day in January, where volunteers from as far as Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston drove hours to the statehouse to hold 40 meetings with lawmakers and urge them to oppose dangerous gun bills like SB 1384 and instead focus on common-sense solutions to keep Idaho children safe at school.
Idaho Moms Demand Action has started planning for next year and is holding virtual statewide meetings to continue getting Idahoans involved in the fight for gun violence prevention. Volunteers are also continuing to mobilize against a risky bill to weaken the state’s permitless concealed carry standard, HB 516, which is on the governor’s desk.
Statistics about gun violence in Idaho are available here, and information on how Idaho’s gun laws compare to other states’ overall is available here.