OLYMPIA, WA– Several bills regulating firearms survived Wednesday’s cutoff in the Washington State Legislature to consider bills in their house of origin. Other gun bills are likely dead this legislative session.
Controversial House Bill 1163 passed the House of Representatives earlier this month. It would require prospective gun owners to purchase a permit through the Washington State Patrol and undergo gun safety training before being able to purchase a firearm.
“It would ensure that everyone who decides to purchase a firearm, understands the capability of the machinery they hold in their hands,” said Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle, just ahead of a final vote on the House floor.
Rep. Matt Marshall, R-Eatonville, argued against the bill during floor debate and told The Center Square about a personal situation as a backdrop for why he feels additional regulations on gun purchases will not solve the gun crime epidemic.
“I had sold a gun to a friend after [Initiative] 1639 and went in and did a proper transfer through a gun store, and we don’t have the resources to keep up with that 1639 requirement,” he said. “The Washington State Patrol can’t keep up.”
He explained the gun he sold his friend was then stolen and used in a violent crime.
“I got a call from the detective who asked me if I knew where my pistol was,” Marshall continued. “I told him I sold that gun, and I had all the paperwork in my gun safe.”
Marshall said the detective told him the only record of sale was when he bought the gun several years ago. State Patrol hadn’t processed the transfer record because of a backlog, according to the lawmaker.
“So, we don’t have money in our budget for Washington State Patrol,” he said. “We’re going to have a huge new layer of additional requirements that they won’t be able to accommodate. We’re passing something that’s going to make people feel good, but we can’t keep up with regulatory and statutory requirements as is.”
Legislation expanding gun-free zones in Washington state passed the Senate on March 5. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5098, which was amended to exempt concealed pistol license holders, is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee at 10:30 a.m. on Mar. 18.
Other gun bills are almost certainly done for the year.
Senate Bill 5099 to establish additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers didn’t make it past the committee state.
Senate Bill 5056, born out of November’s two-week system outage where no background checks were processed and thousands of firearm sales were held up, did not make it past the committee stage. SB 5056 would have had the Washington State Patrol provide firearm background checks when state record systems are unavailable.
House Bill 1118 to expand firearms restoration rights for certain individuals did not advance. The bill would have allowed for the possibility of those with drug-related convictions to have their right to possess a firearm restored.
House Bill 1132 would have proposed restrictions on “bulk” purchases, limiting individuals to one firearm and either 100 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition or 1,000 rounds of other calibers per 30-day period. HB 1132 did not advance.
Senate Bill 1139 to reclassify certain firearm possession offenses as violent crimes, potentially leading to enhanced penalties, did not advance.
House Bill 1386 received a public hearing in the House Finance Committee on the second day of the session, but no vote was taken. It would have imposed a new tax on firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition to fund violence intervention programs and victim support services.
House Bill 1152, a “secure storage” proposal to require gun owners to lock up their weapons in their cars and homes, also stalled out in committee.
Kirk Evans with U.S. LawShield told The Center Square HB 1152 could have been problematic for lawful gun owners.
“In your vehicle, if you leave it [firearm] unattended, it has to be in a secured, hard-sided locked case [that] is attached to the vehicle,” he said. “And it specifically says this cannot include the center console unless it’s specially adapted for these purposes.”
Asked about the remaining gun related bills still alive for the session, Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, told The Center Square he sees constitutional issues with each of them.
“They are only going after people that are following the law,” he said, noting the contradiction with Democrats backing bills to reduce penalties for gun crimes, but also targeting lawful gun owners.
“How on the one hand do you say we have this epidemic of gun violence, and then turn around and say to people who use a gun in a criminal way, we’re not going to hold you accountable?” he asked. “That just doesn’t work.”
The 105-day session is schedule to adjourn April 27.
