7th annual scorecard reflects significant progress on gun violence prevention 

SEATTLE, WA – A record number of legislators received both A++ ratings and F ratings on the Alliance for Gun Responsibility’s 2021 Scorecard. The report card, which was started in 2015 as a counter to the NRA’s report card, measures Washington State Legislators’ commitment to gun violence prevention as demonstrated by votes, sponsorships, and advocacy.  

“The record number of A++ grades is evidence of the growing understanding that gun responsibility is a winning issue in Olympia,” said Dylan O’Connor, Alliance for Gun Responsibility Political and Government Affairs Manager. “Year after year, the coalition of gun responsibility champions has grown and the breadth of public safety bills moving through Olympia has expanded. We are extremely proud of the progress lawmakers made last year rejecting armed intimidation, modernizing civil protection orders, and taking long-overdue action on police accountability. Unfortunately, for the third year in a row, legislators failed to pass restrictions on high-capacity magazines—a failure we will not forget. We are committed to holding lawmakers who refuse to act accountable.”

Despite the constraints of a virtual session and the task of pandemic recovery, lawmakers passed 10 public safety bills in the 2021 session, including a bill to reject armed intimidation and an historic package of police accountability bills. This significant progress is reflected in the record number of legislators receiving A++ and A+ ratings. Twenty-nine legislators across the state earned an A++ rating and another 39 earned an A+ rating. These leaders demonstrated true commitment to reducing gun violence by sponsoring and supporting life-saving gun safety bills and by supporting community advocacy efforts. 

Unfortunately, a record number of legislators—62 in total—earned an F rating this year. These legislators, who remain committed to advancing the gun lobby’s extreme and unpopular agenda, actively worked against measures that would help keep our communities safer. 

The full scorecard can be viewed here. 

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