Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund Pledges $500,000 to Support Initiative 1491, Washington State’s Extreme Risk Protection Order Ballot Initiative

SEATTLE – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund announced a pledge of $500,000 to support Initiative 1491 – Washington State’s Extreme Risk Protection Order ballot initiative. Similar to laws already on the books in California, Connecticut and Indiana, I-1491 would provide a tool to law enforcement, family and household members to help prevent shootings before they happen by petitioning a court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to firearms if the person poses a significant danger to self or others.

STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY

“Washington voters spoke loud and clear in 2014 when they approved background checks for all gun sales. Now, Washington’s Moms Demand Action chapter, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, gun violence survivors, and other gun safety advocates are rolling up their sleeves once again – this time, with the goal of empowering law enforcement and families alike to prevent tragedy when someone poses a significant threat to self or others. We’re thrilled to support this important next step in Washington’s gun violence prevention movement, and we look forward to I-1491 becoming law.”

This is the second time that Everytown has partnered with the Alliance for Gun Responsibility to strengthen common-sense gun laws at the ballot in Washington, and many of Everytown’s more than 75,000 supporters in Washington State are actively gathering signatures for the ballot initiative ahead of the June 8th deadline. In 2014, Washington moms and survivors, along with The Alliance, and a coalition of gun safety advocates, led the way in passing I-594, Washington State’s background check ballot measure that won with 60 percent of the vote. Washington is one of 18 states that have closed the background check loophole.