Spiritwear sales are finished for the 2017-2018 school year.

Whereas, the National PTA has advocated for a variety of measures to address gun violence, including mental health education, early intervention, prevention and access to school and community-based mental health personnel and services, measures to educate students, educators and community members on firearm safety and violence prevention, as well as laws and regulations in the areas of gun safety and violence prevention; and

Whereas, we believe that every child deserves to learn in an environment that is safe and to have the opportunity to grow into a happy and healthy adult.

Therefore, be it resolved that the VEPTSA joins the National PTA (reference) in its demands that Washington State and federal governments adopt legislation to accomplish the following policy goals:

• Require universal background checks and a license to purchase a firearm.
• Re-enact a federal ban on the sale and possession of military-style assault weapons.
• Lift any ban on research that studies the causes and effects of gun violence.

Therefore, be it further resolved that the  VEPTSA also supports laws and regulations that would accomplish the following:

• Increase the Federal minimum purchase age to 21 for all long-guns (rifles), which is the current federal minimum age for handguns.
• Require firearm safety training prior to the purchase of a firearm.
• Develop a state registry that allows one to voluntarily opt-out of the ability to purchase a firearm.
• Restrict non-Washington state residents from purchasing any firearms in Washington state.