Washington Lawmakers Allocate $200 Million in Community Investment, Including Funding for Life-Saving Violence Intervention Programs

The Budget Also Includes an Additional $8.3 Million for the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention, Which was Established in 2020 With Advocacy From Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers

Last week, Washington lawmakers finalized the 2022 budget to allocate $200 million to the community reinvestment account, some of which will fund community-based violence intervention and prevention efforts to reduce gun violence. In the budget, the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention, which was established in 2020 with advocacy from Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, also received an additional $8.3 million. 

“Community violence intervention programs know what their neighborhoods need to combat violence,” said Shannon Mayo, a volunteer leader with the Washington chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This funding will go a long way in helping these programs do their life-saving work. We are thankful to the legislature for not only passing gun safety legislation this year, but also recommitting to funding violence intervention programs throughout the state.”

The budget announcement comes after the legislative session ended with several major bills on Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s desk. The bills include HB 1705, legislation prohibiting ghost guns; HB 1630, legislation prohibiting firearms in public gatherings including school board meetings, voting centers, and other offices related to the electoral process; SB 5078, legislation to prohibit high capacity magazines; and HB 1941, legislation prohibiting active shooter drills in schools that mimic real shootings, which had bipartisan support.

During the session, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action volunteers and supporters have sent over 2,200 emails to legislators this session in support of gun safety. Volunteers also testified and advocated in hearings in support of these bills. 

Statistics about gun violence in Washington are 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. To ask questions or request an interview with a volunteer from Washington Moms Demand Action, please don’t hesitate to reach out