Month: March 2018

GOAL Post    2018-10

Legislative Update from Olympia    9 March 2018

     SINE DIE

     48 GUN BILLS FILED IN 2017-2018 BIENNIUM

     GOV SIGNS BUMP STOCK BAN

      2519, 5553 AND 6298 TO GOV

     PHOTOS ON CPLS?

     MISSED ONE – AMMO BAN

     WHY ONLY FOUR BILLS PASSED

     INITIATIVE

     LAST GOAL POST OF 2018 — HOPEFULLY

It’s over!  The fat lady has done her part and has waddled off the stage, and our legislators are packing up and heading home from Olympia.  At this point there is no talk of the need for a special session, unlike the three special sessions we had last year.  .

The 2017-2018 biennium set a record for the number of gun related bills filed: 48, 25 anti-, 20 pro- and three neutral.  But as foretold in the Book of Matthew, “Many are called but few are chosen.”  Only four of the 48 managed to make it to the governor’s desk:  None of the pro-gun bills made the cut in the Democrat-dominated legislature, surprise, surprise.  HB 2519 and SBs 5553, 5992 and 6248 were the chosen few.  SB 6620, the last minute “assault weapon” bill, failed to get a vote on the last day of the session (given the time allowed, it was unlikely to pass the House anyway). (more…)

GOAL Post    2018-9

Legislative Update from Olympia    2 March 2018

    BILLS MOVE

    SIX DAYS LEFT IN REGULAR SESSION

    RESPONSE TO FLORIDA SHOOTING

    WHAT DO POLICE OFFICERS THINK?

Bills continue to move as the session winds down.  SB 5992 (bump stock ban) has been sent to Governor Inslee for his signature.  HBs 2363 (drone delivery of contraband) and 2519 (return of CPLs) still await a floor vote.  SBs 5553 (suicidal, waiver of rights) and 6298 (DV harassment firearm ban) were both amended in the House and thus require a concurrence vote by the Senate.  HB 3004 (school safety/semi-auto rifles) was assigned to House Judiciary, where it sits without action.

The biggest news this week is that SB 6620, the newly-filed “School security and safety of students” bill, was significantly amended in the Senate Ways & Means committee before passing out to Senate Rules for a floor vote yesterday.  Shotguns were completely removed from the bill, All reference to “tactical features” for semi-auto rifles was removed – meaning it now applies to ALL semi-auto rifles, even your 10-22.  It grandfathers existing legal possession, meaning 18-20 year olds that currently possess semi-auto rifle(s) may keep them.  The requirement for the dealer (FFL) to file a separate background check request to local law enforcement (as is done with handguns) remains, but it eliminates delivery of a copy to the Department of Licensing and prohibits DoL from entering the information into a data base.  While arguably a slight improvement in the bill, it is still an unacceptable violation of both the 2^nd Amendment and Article 1, Section 24. (more…)