VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Following Bipartisan Support, Utah Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Celebrate Action on Gun Safety 

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, issued the following statement applauding bipartisan action on gun safety as the legislature passed HB 101. The measure, now headed to Governor Spencer Cox’s desk, would require law enforcement agencies to annually report information about firearms recovered from people who aren’t legally allowed to have them to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.

“Thanks to this true bipartisan action, Utah families will be safer,” said Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Utah has a long history of responsible gun ownership and this measure will ensure law enforcement tracks the right data to better understand how guns fall into the wrong hands. At the same time, we’re disappointed that lawmakers passed HB 119, legislation to encourage  arming our teachers. It’s clear there is a path to action: We urge Governor Cox to sign HB 101 into law and we will continue to urge our leaders to reject any further efforts to put more guns in our schools.”

Yesterday, lawmakers also passed HB 119, a bill to incentivize arming teachers by creating an “Educator-Protector Program” which includes granting legal immunity to teachers and schools participating in the program when someone gets hurt because a teacher was carrying a firearm at school as part of the program and providing reimbursement to teachers for their annual classroom response training. 

In 2023, bipartisan Utah lawmakers strengthened domestic violence protections and passed a law requiring schools to provide information to parents about limiting access to firearms in specific instances where the risk of suicide may be heightened. In an average year, 418 people die by guns in Utah. More information about gun violence in Utah is available here.