Washington built something the rest of the country didn’t have: the first state office in the nation dedicated exclusively to firearm safety and violence prevention.
The current proposed budgets are cutting it drastically.
The Office of Firearm Safety & Violence Prevention (OFSVP) funds the community-based work that actually moves the needle, through street outreach, credible messenger programs, safe storage education, suicide prevention, and violence intervention run by trusted people in the neighborhoods most impacted. These aren’t abstract policy line items. They’re trained responders who interrupt and defuse dangerous situations before someone gets shot.
As proposed, the budget would cut funding entirely for Washington’s Safe Storage program, which to date has distributed over 15,000 of these devices free to over 31 counties statewide. In addition, cutting this funding will not save Washington taxpayers money. It, instead, shifts the costs to hospitals, first responders, schools, and courts. Gun violence already costs Washington taxpayers an estimated $171.7 million a year. Defunding prevention makes that number go up.
Last week, 30 organizations, including the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, sent a joint letter to the Legislature urging full funding restoration. Now we need constituents to back that up with direct pressure.
Take 60 seconds to send a letter to your legislators today.
The Legislature is still in session. There’s still time. But not much.
– The Alliance for Gun Responsibility Team
ALLIANCE FOR GUN RESPONSIBILITY
P.O. Box 4187 Seattle, WA 98194