GOAL Post 2014-10
Legislative Update from Olympia 14 March 2014
IT’S OVER! LEGISLATURE ADJOURNS
RECORD NUMBER OF BILLS FILED, FEW SURVIVE
COMPLETE BIENNIUM LIST OF BILLS INCLUDED
BEWARE STEREOTYPES REGARDING PRO- OR ANTI-GUN POLITICIANS
INITIATIVE WARS TO COMMENCE
ELECTION EIGHT MONTHS AWAY
GOAL POST WEEKLY PUBLICATION ENDS… FOR NOW
The regular 2014 legislative session ended late Thursday, 13 March, as required by the state constitution. Although a record number of firearm-related bills were filed during the biennium, no major pro- or anti-gun legislation passed over the two year period. One clear pro-gun bill passed, albeit of limited impact to those individuals who are willing to pay a $200 federal transfer tax to acquire a short barreled rifle: SB 5956 (Hatfield, D-19), That bills is on Governor Inslee’s desk, awaiting his signature… or his veto. A third option would be to let the bill become law without his signature (Washington’s chief executive does not have a “pocket veto” capability). The supplemental budget bill passed — a second session must-have, so no special session is on tap at this time. Unless a special session is called, all of the bills filed but not passed in 2013-2014 are dead.
A record (in my 21 years of lobbying) 51 firearm-related bills were filed during the 2013/2014 biennium. Three passed in 2013 and were signed by the governor, four more bills passed this year and are awaiting the governor’s signature (HBs 1840 and 2164, SBs 5956 and 6199).
This week SB 6025 (use of body armor during the commission of a felony) was sent back to House Appropriations, where it died. The House concurred in the Senate amendment to HB 2164 (counseling for juveniles with firearm convictions/adjudications) and the bill was sent to the governor. The Senate concurred in the House amendment to SB 6199 (prohibiting the use of incendiary targets during wildfire season) and that went to the governor as well.
As the session ended, we have four bills awaiting Governor Inslee’s action: HB 1840, HB 2164, SB 5956 and SB 6199. I expect he will sign at least three. The one big question mark is SB 5956 (short barreled rifles).
I have rolled ALL of the bills filed back into the “Bill Status” section, with their final status. Most died at various stages of the process..
I think it’s important to remind readers that while in general, Republicans support gun owners and Democrats oppose us. But generalities only go so far. There are significant exceptions to that observation. In this biennium we had seven pro-gun bills introduced by Democrats. But it should also be noted that only two of those bills passed the legislature. Having a Democrat sponsor doesn’t give the bill an automatic pass. There are a handful of Democrats in the legislature, who come from suburban or rural districts, who are committed to protecting and advancing the rights of gun owners, usually in opposition to their caucus mates. Without their support — and vocal opposition to anti-gun bills while inside caucus meetings — the outcome would be far different. At election time we need to support these individuals. More on these Democrats as election time nears.
Neither chamber took any action on either of the gun initiatives (I-591 and I-594) sent by petition to the legislature. Given this is an election year, the lack of action is no surprise. Let the electorate decide! In no way is this the end, it’s only the beginning of the battle. Without doubt you will see advertising on both initiatives, pro and con. It’s going to be interesting to see how much cash the Seattle elite gang supporting I-594 are willing to throw into the fight. The pro-gun side, Protect Our Gun Rights, will likely have a much more limited budget.
What all that means is that a greater part of the FOR 591/AGAINST 594 will fall on the shoulders of every gun owner in Washington. I guarantee the other side will portray I-594 as a simple background check bill with no greater impact. After all, if you have nothing to hide, why should you fear a background check?
HINT: IT’S NOT ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS. Ignore the de-facto tax imposed on ALL firearm transfers, via the FFL’s processing fee ($25-50 in most cases) and the extended waiting period of up to 30 days in the event of a “delay” response (most “delays” eventually pass, just a question of ensuring the “John Smith” attempting to buy the gun isn’t the “John Smith” with a long criminal record).
As a background check proponent testified in Olympia in 2007, it’s not about background checks, it’s about an “audit trail on guns.” That’s REGISTRATION. Under current law, universal background checks would immediately result in the registration of ALL handgun transfers. For long guns, it amounts to decentralized gun registration — law enforcement would have to query FFLs to determine who bought/transferred what. Universal GUN REGISTRATION has been gun grabbers goal for decades. Why? Because no effective GUN CONFISCATION program can be effective without prior registration. Just ask the gun owners of New York City and California, and happening now in Connecticut.
2014 is mid-term election year. All 98 House members and 24 of 49 Senators are up for reelection (or election of new candidates) in November. Action this week in the 30th Legislative District as Senator Tracey Eide (D-Federal Way) announced her retirement, and former Democrat Representative Mark Miloscia (D-Federal) announced his intention to run for the Senate seat… as a Republican. This is not without precedent. After the 1994 Republican revolution, two Democrat House members switched parties to become Republicans, and several years later Republican switch sides to become a Democrat. Over the coming months I expect we’ll see more retirements announced, and several new faces when candidate filing begins in mid-May. I expect to see more retirement announcements before the May filing deadline. More on election activity in future GOAL Updates.
This will be the last of the GOAL Post weekly updates from Olympia. Barring a special session, GOAL Posts will not resume until the next regular session of the legislature in January 2015. I will continue to publish GOAL Updates throughout the year, probably on a monthly basis, as events develop in Washington and elsewhere in the U.S.
BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:
The following bills remain under consideration in the 2014 session:
| Bill # | Subject | Sponsor | Status | GOAL Position |
| HB 1096 | Juvi illegal firearm possession | Hurst (D-31) | Died H. Jud | CONCERNS |
| HB 1147 | 1st degree juvi unlawful possess. | Goodman (D-45) | Died H. Jud | CONCERNS |
| HB 1184 | Range protection | Takko (D-19) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 1318 | CPL renewal notice | Taylor (R-15) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 1371 | WA Firearms Freedom Act | Taylor (R-15) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| SHB 1383 | Stalking protection orders | Goodman (D-45) | Passed 2013 | Governor Signed – CONCERNS |
| HB 1561 | Short barreled rifles | Blake (D-19) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| SHB 1588 | Background checks | Pedersen (D-43) | Died H. Jud | OPPOSE |
| SHB 1612 | Firearm offender registration | Hope (R-44) | Passed 2013 | Governor Signed – CONCERNS |
| HB 1676 | Mandatory Safe Storage | Kagi (D-32) | Died H. Jud | OPPOSE |
| HB 1703 | Gun “safety” training and tax | Jinkins (D-27) | Died H. Jud | OPPOSE |
| HB 1729 | Street gangs | Warnick (R-13) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 1788 | Firearms/school employees | Pike (R-18) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| SHB 1839 | Background checks | Goodman (D-45) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 1840 | Firearms/restraining orders | Goodman (D-45) | Passed to Governor | NEUTRAL |
| HB 1908 | Firearms on School property | Scott (R-39) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2020 | Firearms-related jobs | Shea (R-4) | H. Died Jud | SUPPORT |
| *HB 2164 | Juv illegal firearm/counseling | Orwall (D-33) | Passed to Governor | SUPPORT |
| HB 2324 | Use of force | Shea (R-4) | Died H, Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2459 | Hunter Safety | Blake (D-19) | Died H. Rules | SUPPORT |
| HB 2475 | Short barreled rifles/shotguns | Overstreet (R-42) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2502 | Delivery to peace officers | Klippert (R-8) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2529 | Sales tax exemption on firearms | Overstreet (R-42) | H. Finance | SUPPORT |
| HB 2551 | Declared State of emergency | Overstreet (R-42) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2664 | Defense against animals | Taylor (R-15) | Died H. Jud | SUPPORT |
| HB 2704 | Use of body armor/felony | Muri (R-28) | Died H. Pub Safety | NEUTRAL |
| SSB 5282 | DSHS/WSP info exchange | Carrell (R-28) Passed 2013 | Governor Signed | SUPPORT |
| SB 5376 | Juvenile illegal firearm possession | Kline (D-37) | DiedS. W&M | CONCERNS |
| SSB 5452 | Stalking protection orders | Conway (D-29) | DiedS. Rules | CONCERNS |
| SB 5478 | Firearms/mental health court | Keiser (D-33) | Died S. L&J | CONCERNS |
| SB 5479 | Safekeeping of firearms | Keiser (D-33) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5485 | Mandatory Safe Storage | Kline (D-37) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5604 | NRA license plates | Hatfield (D-19) | Died S. Trans | NEUTRAL |
| SB 5625 | Background checks | Kline (D-37) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5635 | Restoration of firearm rights | Darneille (D-27) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5660 | Firearm Safety education | Chase (D-32) | Died S. K-12 | SUPPORT |
| SB 5710 | Mandatory Safe Storage | Kohl-Welles (D-46) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5711 | Background checks | Kline (D-37) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5737 | Ban on Sale of “assault weapons” | Murray (D-43) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5739 | Ban on guns in parks | Murray (D-43) | Died S. L&J | OPPOSE |
| SB 5831 | Prohibits double tax on clay pigeons | Rivers (R-18) | Died S. Rules | SUPPORT |
| SB 5956 | Short-barreled rifles | Hatfield (D-19) Passed | To Governor | SUPPORT |
| *SB 6025 | Use of body armor | O’Ban (R-28) | Died H. Aprop | NEUTRAL |
| SB 6039 | Hunter Safety | Pearson (R-39) | Died S. W&M | SUPPORT |
| SB 6066 | Restoration of rights | Honeyford (R-15) | Died S. L&J | SUPPORT |
| SB 6198 | Range protection | Roach (R-31) | S. Died L&J | SUPPORT |
| *SB 6199 | Wildfires/incendiary devices | Braun (R-20) | Passed To Governor | SUPPORT |
| SB 6245 | Surrender of CPL | Dansel (R-7) | Died S. Rules | NEUTRAL |
| SB 6281 | Improving hunter ed | Roach (R-31) | Died S. Rules | SUPPORT |
| SB 6416 | Delivery to peace officers | Hatfield (D-19) | Died S. L&J | SUPPORT |
| I-591 | Protect gun rights | Default to electorate | SUPPORT | |
| I-594 | Universal background checks/registration | Default to electorate | OPPOSE |
Key to abbreviations: S. = Senate, H. = House, Ag/NatRes = Agriculture/Natural Resources, HS&C = Human Services & Corrections, Jud = Judiciary, L&J = Law & Justice, , W&M = Ways and Means
* = status change this past week
HEARING(S) SCHEDULED:
None
LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE: You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Toll free!!! The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993. Also toll free!!!
1-800-562-6000 TDD 1-800-635-9993
You can also use the direct link available on each bill’s web page to contact your legislators by clicking on “Comment on this bill.”
OTHER DATA: Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature’s web site at “www.leg.wa.gov”. Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format. You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s web site (http://www.adobe.com). You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573. Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000. You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need “RealAudio” to do this, available free at the TVW web site).
By reading the House and Senate “bill reports” (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted. By reading the “roll call” for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill. The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.
GET THE WORD OUT: If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to “[email protected]” or to “[email protected].”. Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights. Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s). PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL. I can be reached at “[email protected]” or by telephone at (425) 985-4867. Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals. Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.
Upcoming WAC gun show(s):
Puyallup 22-23 March
Monroe 5-6 April
“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”
Article 1, Section 24 – Constitution of the State of Washington
Copyright 2014 Gun Owners Action League of WA