Thanks to your advocacy, two bills in our Common Agenda, Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) and universal background checks, have already passed the House with bipartisan support. But now they're stalled, waiting for a vote in the State Senate.2 Both would make our kids safer.
In 2006, a man opened fire on a small school in an Amish community in Lancaster County, taking girls as hostages.3 The shooter had shown multiple warning signs—had ERPO legislation been in place, his firearms could’ve been removed by law enforcement, saving the lives of 5 young girls.
In Texas just 4 years ago, a shooter opened fire into a crowd, killing a 15-year-old and injuring a 17-month-old.4 The assailant, who had already failed a background check, was able to access a rifle through a private sale, which did not require a background check.5 Pennsylvania law has this exact same gap, which could be closed through universal background check legislation to prevent tragedies just like this one.
Bulletproof backpacks aren’t the tools we need to prevent the next shooting. Life-saving, evidence-based policies are. These laws have already been proven to work to prevent violence and save lives. But we need your support to push PA lawmakers to take action. Will you stand with us?
