CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION affirming The City of Seattle’s support of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students’ demand for gun reform in the wake of the February 14, 2018, Parkland, Florida, massacre that resulted in the death of 17 children and teachers.
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WHEREAS, on February 14, 2018, 17 students and teachers were fatally gunned down and 15 others were injured in an active shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and
WHEREAS, the safety of all students in Seattle is and always will be one of the top priorities for The City of Seattle (City); and
WHEREAS, our classrooms are a place to foster learning, growth and community; and school shootings and the presence of guns at our schools present a clear and imminent threat to the overall public health and public safety of our youth, regardless of age; and
WHEREAS, the City values our nation’s constitutional right to the First Amendment, which protects our basic liberties of religion, free speech, the press, petition, and assembly; and
WHEREAS, the City also values and supports our diverse and civically-minded youth population and their ability to demonstrate with other students across the region and country through actions of solidarity, exercising their First Amendment rights and engaging in the power of advocacy and assembly; and
WHEREAS, as of February 20, 2018, NBC News reports that there have been eight acts of gun violence on school grounds nationwide in 2018, resulting in the injury of 30 people and the death of 20 people, and;
WHEREAS, the March for Our Lives and Enough is Enough campaigns have spurred a community led movement calling for State and Congressional Leaders to enact laws to decisively restrict the purchase and proliferation of automatic assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, ban the purchase of bump stocks, and require stricter background checks; and
WHEREAS, in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, several local and national gun retailers, including Wal-Mart, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and Lower Price Guns, have taken it upon themselves to restrict the sale of automatic assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons only to individuals who are 21 years old or older; and,
WHEREAS, on August 10, 2015, the City passed Ordinance 124833 imposing a tax on the retail sale of firearms and ammunition to raise general revenue for the City and to use that revenue to provide broad-based public benefits for residents of Seattle related to gun violence by funding programs that promote public safety, prevent gun violence and address in part the cost of gun violence in the City; and
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2016, the City passed Resolution 31676 related to responsible and progressive protocols for police gun procurement, including destroying no longer needed firearms rather than selling the firearms out of state; and
WHEREAS, on September 12, 2016, the City passed Resolution 31702 related to supporting the creation of Extreme Risk Protection Orders, allowing family members and law enforcement to petition the court to remove firearms from individuals presenting a serious danger to themselves or others; and
WHEREAS, in the 2017 and 2018 City Budget the Council and Mayor dedicated funding to create and implement a regional domestic violence firearm surrender program, comprised of the City Attorney’s Office, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Seattle Police Department, and the King County Sheriff’s office, to enforce the requirement for persons served with domestic violence or extreme risk protection orders to surrender their firearms, and track and prosecute persons violating those orders; and
WHEREAS, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, 54 percent of mass shootings between 2009-2016 were related to domestic or family violence; and
WHEREAS, on February 27, 2018, Seattle School District’s Board of Directors passed Resolution 2017/18-17 declaring its support for sensible gun safety legislation, opposition to efforts to arm educators in our schools, and support of the March for Our Lives on March 24, 2018; and
WHEREAS, on March 6, 2018 Governor Jay Inslee signed into law SB 5992, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, purchase, own, or be in possession of a bump stock in Washington State beginning July 1, 2019, as well as directing Washington State Patrol to create a buyback program for individuals to relinquish a bump stock in exchange for $150; and
WHEREAS, the City asserts gun reform is long overdue, and that enough is enough; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The City Council and the Mayor urge Seattle Public Schools to support its students’ right to assemble and participate in the National School Walkout, on March 14, 2018, at 10 a.m. for 17 minutes to protest Congress’ inaction to end gun violence in our nation’s schools and communities.
Section 2. The City Council and the Mayor support the efforts of educators and administrators to show their solidarity for their students’ right to remain safe from gun violence in schools and their students’ right to assemble and continuing to help students learn how to organize peaceful walkouts and protests to create positive and lasting change.
Section 3. The City Council and the Mayor urge our State and Congressional representatives to act now and enact stricter gun safety laws creating tighter background checks, banning the purchase of bump stocks, reasonably restricting automatic assault rifles and semi-automatic weapon purchases, to fully fund mental health, and to pass Crisis Prevention legislation such as Senate Bill 5441, which would temporarily restrict the access to firearms to individuals who have been subject to a 72-hour involuntary mental health commitment as they may present a likelihood of serious harm to themselves or others.
Section 4. The City Council and Mayor urge our State Legislature in future sessions to pass legislation, such as Senate Bill 6146 and its companion, House Bill 2666, which would repeal the statute that preempts local jurisdictions from adopting laws relating to firearms and provides that nothing in the chapter of law governing firearms modifies or limits the power of a city, municipality, or county to adopt laws relating to firearms that are in addition to or more restrictive than state law.
Section 5. The City Council and the Mayor urge other law enforcement agencies to implement policies that restrict the sale of surplus firearms to the market consistent with Resolution 31676, and remove arms from dangerous individuals consistent with chapter 9.41 RCW as amended by Chapter 111, Laws of 2014.
Section 6. The City Council and Mayor urge cities and counties across Washington State to create and implement a Firearm Surrender program similar to the successful one the City and King County created in 2017.
Section 7. The City Council and the Mayor oppose any proposal to arm teachers with firearms.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2018, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)