Legislature in Session: Gun Bills abound
from Ruth Peterson
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For my first update, I’ll talk about firearm bills, because this is a priority for the Governor and the Attorney General. There are likely to be a lot more bills introduced throughout session, and I will not add a lot of detail here, because it would make the post too long, but here are some of the bills that we will be seeing regarding firearms. You can click on the bill number to read the bill.
HB 1143 – Requires you to purchase a permit to buy any firearm whatsoever, including fingerprints and in-depth checks. It is also a waiver of confidentiality when it comes to your medical history (so they can check into your medical background). The fee “cannot exceed $25”, so that will be the likely cost. Your permit # will be attached to all firearms you purchase.
HB 1144 – Requires a 10-day waiting period and the proof of completion of a certified firearm safety program. This sounds like a reasonable requirement until you realize that there aren’t enough classes in the state to be able to teach that many people. It is a requirement that you take the class every five years. The criteria for the acceptable firearms class is to be developed by the WSP, so we don’t even know what a “certified class” looks like. However, there is a list of the minimum requirements in the bill.
HB 1195 = The text of the bill is not available yet, but it will prohibit open carry of certain weapons in public parks and hospitals. Almost certainly firearms but will likely contain a list or descriptions of other “weapons” similar to the bill that banned open carry at the Capitol.
SB 5078 – This bill will allow legal action against gun manufacturers and firearms
dealers for the actions of criminals. A related article is here. Companion bill is HB 1130
SB 5193 – Have you ever wondered what an “assault weapon” is? Me too. This bill gives the details. You can click on the link and take a look at the list. It begins on page 2
HB 1178 – This is a tough one to explain in a short paragraph. This is related to something called “preemption”. That term refers to the way laws are applied throughout the state. There are 39 counties and 281 municipalities. Are there different laws that apply to people, depending on what county you live in, or is there one law at the state level that preempts all the local laws? This bill would remove state preemption and allow all the different local governments to enact different laws.
This could end up causing you to be able to legally carry a firearm in Pierce County, but the minute you cross over into King, it would be illegal. Or from one city to another. If you travel from Tacoma to Enumclaw, you cross over several cities and counties. You’d have to keep track of the firearms laws in each one to know whether you are performing an illegal act by carrying a firearm.
Thank you for taking the time to know what is going on in Olympia. The Legislative Session this year runs from January 9th until April 23rd. Hang on to your wallet and your rights – it’s going to be a long one!
