Hello Whittier Community,

During WSPTA Focus on Advocacy Week, an action alert will be sent out each day between January 26-30. We need your voice...it only takes a few minutes. Click here for today's action.

We are urging members to contact their Washington State House Representatives to tell them to support E2SSB 5098, a bill that will restrict guns in public places where children gather, like community centers, parks, and playgrounds. This bill has already passed the Senate and awaits action in the House.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that “Firearms are the leading cause of death in children and youth 0 to 24 years of age in the United States” and the National Institutes of Health reports that children exposed to gun violence, crime and abuse are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol; suffer from depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder; fail or have difficulties in school and engage in criminal activity. It’s critical that we limit exposure to gun violence.

Washington State PTA has a long history of advocating for children’s safety. Our members have designated preventing gun violence as one of our top 5 priorities for this legislative session.

This action only takes a few minutes, and numbers matter! Share this Alert with your networks, tell them why protecting children from gun violence is important to you and encourage them to contact their legislators to pass E2SSB 5098.

Click here to join us in urging our legislators to protect children from gun violence by passing E2SSB 5098.

Want to up your impact?

Make this letter even more powerful by adding your own story. Legislators respond to personal stories, like:

• How gun violence has affected you or your child.
• How allowing guns in public places has affected your decisions about where to take your child.

Thank you for your advocacy,
Kyle Hiatt, Whittier PTA Legislative Rep