Colorado Gun Safety Ballot Measure Prop KK Passes Following Everytown for Gun Safety’s Investment and Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action’s Grassroots Advocacy

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund Was an Early Financial Backer of SAY YES TO PROP KK Campaign; Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Campaigned Tirelessly for Measure’s Passage

Victory Builds on Progress in Colorado; Following Election of Gun Sense Champions in 2022, Colorado Has Passed Historic Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

DENVER — After Coloradans voted to pass Proposition KK, a ballot initiative to provide vital support for Colorado’s veterans, at-risk youth, and victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements:

“Colorado voters, who are no strangers to the tragedy of gun violence, just made it clear they want to see more investment in efforts to keep their schools, homes, and neighborhoods safe,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Everytown was proud to support Prop KK, and we will continue working with our allies in Colorado to establish more common-sense measures to prevent gun violence.”

“This innovative measure is a major step forward in prioritizing the safety of our communities over the interests of the gun industry,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “Our movement championed this ballot initiative because we know it will make Colorado families safer, and we’re proud to see it pass today.”

“By passing Prop KK, Coloradans voted to build on our state’s progress on gun safety by guaranteeing new funding for survivors and providing services critical  to building resilience and  breaking cycles of violence,” said Susan Long, a volunteer with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action. “With this victory, Colorado continues to be a leader in the gun violence prevention movement and a leader in protecting our state’s most vulnerable citizens.”

Proposition KK will place a 6.5% excise tax on gun manufacturers and retailers in Colorado to be allocated for funding for mental health services, school safety measures, gun violence prevention programs, and support services for victims of violence. The funding will expand mental health services for veterans, help at-risk youth, and support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and other violent crime. The $39 million expected revenue from the excise tax will specifically fund mental health care for veterans and youth, promoting school safety and gun violence prevention, and sustaining victim services, including crisis response, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and case management for domestic violence victims and other victims of crime.

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund was an early financial supporter of the SAY YES TO PROP KK campaign and Everytown’s grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, worked tirelessly to support this ballot measure and ensure Colorado voters knew the importance of this vital funding stream.

In 2022, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety Colorado IEC invested $2.7 million in Colorado to protect the gun sense majorities in the state legislature and re-elect gun sense champion Michael Bennet to the U.S. Senate. In 2020, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund invested $1.1 million to defeat the NRA-backed Cory Gardner and elect John Hickenlooper to the U.S. Senate.

Earlier this year, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund announced a $45 million major electoral program, which included launching a new grassroots voter contact program to help elect gun sense candidates and defeat gun extremists up and down the ballot in key swing districts and states.