Outstanding State PTA Advocacy Award
Washington State PTA
For multiple legislative sessions, Washington State PTA has focused their advocacy efforts on supporting legislation and policies that will help prevent and reduce gun violence and suicide, including: (1) addressing the disproportionate impact on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth; (2) funding community-based prevention and intervention programs; (3) promoting safe storage of medication and firearms; and (4) prohibiting the sale or transfer of military-style assault weapons. As part of their efforts, Washington State PTA Advocacy and Resolutions Committee members have been meeting and discussing bills with legislators and offering improvements and feedback; preparing and delivering testimony; and using methods and communication vehicles including events, action alerts, their website, newsletters, blog posts and social media to impact change. Thanks to their efforts, legislation was passed and signed into law during the 2023 legislative session to prohibit assault weapons (with a few exceptions), promote safe storage of firearms and medication, provide funding for community prevention programs and more. So much progress was made during the 2023 legislative session that Washington State PTA has added new goals for the 2024 legislative session, including expanding existing law to prohibit firearms where families and youth congregate in public places and restoring local government authority to enhance state firearm regulations to protect children and youth.
About the Award
The Outstanding State PTA Advocacy of the Year Award is awarded annually to one State PTA that through their dedication, leadership & efforts positively affected legislative and/or regulatory policy aligned with National PTA’s public policy agenda.