Advocacy in Action!
Dr. Gwen Loosmore testified in two committees on January 21st, bringing Washington State PTA’s priority position of preventing and reducing gun violence and suicide to the forefront of bills related to common sense solutions to approach escalating gun violence.
In the House Finance Committee, Gwen shared statistics about suicide and gun deaths while speaking in favor of HB 1356, imposing a new tax on firearms, firearms parts, and ammunition.
Listen to Gwen here.
Later that morning, Gwen testified in favor of HB 1163, enhancing requirements relating to the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms. Gwen urged members of the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee to pass the bill and backed up her rationale with details about the tragic number of deaths by firearms of Washington youth to emphasize WSPTA’s support for the bill.
Gwen’s testimony is here.
On Parents’ Rights
WSPTA Advocacy Committee member Natalya Yudkovsky testified in favor of SB 5181, amending the parents’ rights initiative to bring it into alignment with existing state and federal laws. In addition to expressing support for the updates to release of medical records and related information, Natalya asked the committee for two amendments regarding the bill’s changes to notifications to parents – decreasing the proposed notification period from 72 hours to as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours in two places and 48 hours in another.
Listen to Natalya here.