Category: Legislative Update

GOAL Post2013-5

Legislative Update from Olympia 15 February 2013

POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF NEXT FRIDAY

MORE NEW BILLS FILED

PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD

EXECUTIVE SESSION HELD

BILL(S) PASS OUT OF COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE SESSION SCHEDULED

PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

First, a brief tutorial on bill action.A committee chair has almost
total control over whether he or she chooses to act on a bill (there is
a procedure to “relieve a committee” of a bill, but it’s rarely
invoked).To move through the process, a bill must normally receive a
public hearing, where citizens (and lobbyists) have an opportunity to
testify orally or submit a written statement about a bill.After
consideration of the public input, the bill may be scheduled for
“executive action” (a vote out of committee, usually done in conjunction
with public hearings on other bills).This is typically when bills may be
amended to reflect approved changes.Again, it is the committee chair’s
call as to whether to move forward with a bill or not.If a bill is voted
out of committee, a “bill report” is published, outlining any changes,
summarizing testimony, and what the vote was (which legislators voted
“aye” or “no” to move the bill.A bill then goes to the Rules Committee
to await a pull to the full chamber (House or Senate) floor for a vote,
or to one of the fiscal committees if the bill has fiscal impact.

Next Friday is the first chamber policy committee cut-off.Nominally, all
bills that have failed to get a hearing and be voted out of the policy
committee are dead for the session (again, exceptions can be made).Most
of the gun bills filed this year have NOT had a public hearing and will
likely die next Friday (22 February).The following week I’ll cull the
“Bill Status” listing to reflect only those bills still in play — still
under consideration..

Several new bills were introduced this week (keep in mind there is only
one week left before the policy committee cut-off).HB 1839 by Rep. Roger
Goodman (D-45) completes the action taken two years ago when successful
completion of a federal NICS check was added to the requirement for
issue of a Concealed Pistol License.ATF approved Washington as a
NICS-alternative state, meaning anyone with a valid CPL issued on or
after 22 July 2011 did not have to undergo a new NICS check to purchase
a firearm.This final step amends Washington law to waive the NICS
check.HB 1840, also by Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45), expands the number of
restraining or protective orders that include prohibition of firearm
possession.HB 1908 by Rep. Elizabeth Scott (R-39) amends Washington’s
“gun free school zone” law to allow firearm possession by contract
security personnel and adds an exception for transiting school property
to enter hunting areas.SB 5737 by Sen. Ed Murray (D-43) is a reprise of
the “assault weapon” ban bill that failed to pass out of committee
several years ago, with a new twist: it bans ANY barrel with a threaded
muzzle than can accept a suppressor.Duh!Suppressors are LEGAL in
Washington, Senator..

One I missed last week was SB 5660 by Sen. Maralyn Chase (D-32) that
would mandate an Eddie Eagle-style firearms training program starting in
school year 2014-15.One problem: the bill requires the program be
targeted at the K-12 level.Eddie Eagle is a gun avoidance program
intended to be presented to K-6 students.What 7-12 students need is the
NRA’s Home Firearm Safety program.

Public hearings were conducted on several bills this past week.The big
one was in House Judiciary on Wednesday, when testimony was taken on HBs
1147 (juvenile possession), 1588 (background checks), 1612 (firearm
offender registry) and 1676 (mandatory safe storage).HB 1588 drew most
of the attention, with opponents calling attention to several flaws in
the bill that would make it impossible to enforce.A substitute version
taking some of those issues into consideration was offered, but the
problems persist. Supposedly work is underway to further amend the
bill.Turnout for the hearing was significant, with an extra room opened
for the overflow.About 2/3 of the attendees were pro-gun, the remaining
third anti or supporting the bad bills.Something to keep in mind:most of
the anti-gun attendees were there on their boss’s dime, drawing full pay
to be there.Most pro-gun attendees had to take time off from work to
participate.Which one demonstrates greater commitment to their side of
the issue? The Senate Law & Justice Committee also held a public hearing
today on SB 5479 (law enforcement “safekeeping” of firearms).

On February 12th, the House Judiciary Committee passed a substitute
version of HB 1096 (juvenile illegal firearm possession).Changes to
address our concerns were made in the substitute bill, however our
concerns about proper application of the bill remain.. The bill now goes
to House Appropriations because of its potential fiscal impact. It also
passed a substitute version of HB 1383 (stalking/protection orders),
also addressing some of our concerns, but concerns remain.

At this time, the only bill scheduled for executive session (a committee
vote) is an amended version of HB 1588.

Public hearings are scheduled for three bills next week:HBs 1839 and
1840 and SB 5660.See details below.

public hearingsUnfortunately, at least two meetings of the Senate Law &
Justice Committee have no scheduled bills to be heard in public
testimony at this time.

SB 5660Sen EL2/21 1730

ph1096approp1530 2/21

BILL STATUS:

House Bill numbering begins with 1000; Senate Bills with 5000.The
following bills have been filed so far in the 2013-14 biennium:

Bill #SubjectSponsorStatus

HB 1096Juvi illegal firearm possessionHurst (D-31)H. Approp

HB 11471^st degree juvi unlawful possess.Goodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1184Range protectionTakko (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1318CPL renewal noticeTaylor (-15)H. Jud

HB 1371WA Firearms Freedom ActTaylor (R-15)H. Jud

HB 1383Stalking protection ordersGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1561Short barreled riflesBlake (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1588Background checksPedersen (D-43)H. Jud

HB 1612Firearm offender registryHope (R-44)H. Jud

HB 1676Mandatory safe storageKagi (D-32)H. Jud

HB 1703Gun “safety” training and taxJinkins (D-27)H. Jud

HB 1729Street gangsWarnick (R-13)H. Jud

HB 1788Firearms/school employeesPike (R-18)H. Jud

HB 1839Background checksGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1840Firearms/restraining ordersGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1908firearms on school propertyScott (R-39)H. Jud

SB 5282DSHS/WSP info exchangeCarrell (R-28)S. HS&C

SB 5376Juvi illegal firearm possessionKline (D-37)S. HS&C

SB 5452Stalking protection ordersConway (D-S. HS&C

SB 5478Firearms/mental health courtKeiser (D-33)S. L&J

SB 5479Safekeeping of firearmsKeiser (D-33)S. L&J

SB 5485Mandatory safe storageKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5604NRA license platesHatfield (D-19)S. Trans

HB 5625Background checksKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5635Restoration of firearm rightsKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5660Firearm safety educationChase (D-3)S. Early Learn

SB 5711Background checksKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5737Ban on sale of “assault weapons”Murray (D-43)S. L&J

Key to abbreviations:SB = Senate Bill, HB = House Bill, Jud = Judiciary,
L&J = Law & Justice, HS&C = Human Services & Corrections, Trans =
Transportation, Approp = Appropriations, Early Learn = Early Learning
and K-12 Education

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

HB 1096CONCERNS

HB 1147CONCERNS

HB 1184SUPPORT

HB 1318SUPPORT

HB 1371SUPPORT

HB 1383CONCERNS

HB 1561SUPPORT

HB 1588AWAITING AMENDMENTS

HB 1612CONCERNS

HB 1676OPPOSE

HB 1703OPPOSE

HB 1729SUPPORT

HB 1788SUPPORT

HB 1839SUPPORT

HB 1840OPPOSE

HB 1908SUPPORT

SB 5282SUPPORT

SB 5376CONCERNS

SB 5452CONCERNS

SB 5478CONCERNS

SB 5479OPPOSE

SB 5485OPPOSE

SB 5604NEUTRAL

SB 5625OPPOSE

SB 5635OPPOSE

SB 5660SUPPORT

SB 5711OPPOSE

SB 5737OPPOSE

HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

20 FebHBs 1839, 1840House Judiciary Committee

8:00 a.m.House Hearing Room “A”John L. O’Brien Office Building

21 FebSB 5660Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12

5:30 p.m.Senate Hearing Room “1”John A. Cherberg Senate Office Building

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!!!

1-800-562-6000TDD 1-800-635-9993

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 http://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]
[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]
[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.

If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me
at “[email protected]” [email protected]>with the words
“Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.I will remove your name
immediately.Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun
lists.If you received GP via a lit, you must contact that list’s admin
to unsubscribe.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

Monroe16-17 February

Puyallup23-24 February

“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 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

GOAL Post 2013-4

Legislative Update from Olympia 8 February 2013

SEVERAL NEW BILLS FILED

TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

TURNOUT NEEDED IN OLYMPIA

At least eight new gun bills were filed, good and bad.HB 1676 by Rep.
Ruth Kagi (D-32) is another mandatory safe storage bill similar to the
1997 “Whitney Graves” bill.HB 1703 by Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27) is
interesting: it imposes a $25 tax per transfer of any firearm, as well
as a tax of one cent per round of ammunition sold… to fund a
state-developed firearms safety training program.Between this and HB
1588/SB 5625, that’s a $45 tax on EVERY firearm transferred.HB 1729 by
Rep. Judy Warnick (R-13) adds penalties to street gang members found
with firearms, and HB 1788 by Rep. Liz Pike (R-18) would allow qualified
school personnel to carry on campus.

On the Senate side, SB 5604 by Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-19) would
authorize an NRA license plate.(I’ll just say it once: I believe we’d be
better off with a generic “Second Amendment” plate — it’s harder to
criticize the Bill of Rights.)SBs 5625 and 5711 by Sen. Adam Kline
(D-37) are similar to HB 1588 — they require ALL firearm transfers to
be conducted by an FFL or by law enforcement, with resulting record
keeping (de facto registration) AND a $20 transfer fee (tax). SB 5635,
also by Sen. Kline, makes it harder for firearm rights to be restored.

Two public hearings are scheduled for next week.On Wednesday, 13
February at 8:00 a.m., the House Judiciary will take public testimony on
HBs 1147, 1588, 1612 and 1676.On Friday, 15 February also at 8:00 a.m.,
the Senate Law & Justice Committee will conduct a public hearing on SB 5479.

If at all possible, PLEASE try to attend the House Judiciary hearing on
Wednesday.It’s important that we get as large a pro-gun turn-out as
possible to demonstrate our opposition to HBs 1588 and 1676.HB 1588,
especially, as it creates a de facto gun registration system in
Washington.There are ways to conduct background checks that DO NOT
retain data on the transfer.If they want background checks, run a pure
background check bill.If they want registration, call it that and let’s
debate it.

If you can’t attend the hearing, please write to your Representatives
AND to the members of the Judiciary Committee and go on record with your
opposition to these two bills.Links to legislator contact information:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Representatives/

House Judiciary Committee:

Rep, Jaime Pedersen (D-43)[email protected]

Rep. Drew Hansen (D-23) [email protected]

Rep. Jay Rodne (R-5)[email protected]

Rep. Steve O’Ban (R-28)[email protected]

Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45)[email protected]

Rep. Mike Hope (R-44)[email protected]

Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-27)[email protected]

Rep. Steve Kirby (D-29)[email protected]

Rep. Brad Klippert (R-8)[email protected]

Rep. Terry Nealey (R-16)[email protected]

Rep. Tina Orwall (D-33)[email protected]

Rep. Mary Helen Roberts (D-21)[email protected]

Rep. Matt Shea (R-4)[email protected]

In the “GOAL Position” vbseveral bills are marked “CONCERNS.”As
mentioned previously, the concerns are based on how the bill might be
improperly enforced and ensnare an individual that the bill was never
intended to trap.There is a lot of judicial and prosecutorial
flexibility in the system, theoretically enough to preclude this from
happening.That’s in a perfect world.We don’t live in a perfect world.

BILL STATUS:

House Bill numbering begins with 1000; Senate Bills with 5000.The
following bills have been filed so far in the 2013-14 biennium:

Bill #SubjectSponsorStatus

HB 1096Juvi illegal firearm possessionHurst (D-31)H. Jud

HB 11471^st degree juvi unlawful possess.Goodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1184Range protectionTakko (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1318CPL renewal noticeTaylor (-15)H. Jud

HB 1371WA Firearms Freedom ActTaylor (R-15)H. Jud

HB 1383Stalking protection ordersGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1561Short barreled riflesBlake (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1588Background checksPedersen (D-43)H. Jud

HB 1612Firearm offender registryHope (R-44)H. Jud

HB 1676Mandatory safe storageKagi (D-32)H. Jud

HB 1703Gun “safety” training and taxJinkins (D-27)H. Jud

HB 1729Street gangsWarnick (R-13)H. Jud

HB 1788Firearms/school employeesPike (R-18) H. Jud

SB 5282DSHS/WSP info exchangeCarrell (R-28)S. HS&C

SB 5376Juvi illegal firearm possessionKline (D-37)S. HS&C

SB 5452Stalking protection ordersConway (D-S. HS&C

SB 5478Firearms/mental health courtKeiser (D-33)S. L&J

SB 5479Safekeeping of firearmsKeiser (D-33)S. L&J

SB 5485Mandatory safe storageKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5604NRA license platesHatfield (D-19)S. Trans

HB 5625Background checksKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5635Restoration of firearm rightsKline (D-37)S. L&J

SB 5711Background checksKline (D-37)S. L&J

Key to abbreviations:SB = Senate Bill, HB = House Bill, Jud = Judiciary,
L&J = Law & Justice, HS&C = Human Services & Corrections, Trans =
Transportation

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

HB 1096CONCERNS

HB 1147CONCERNS

HB 1184SUPPORT

HB 1318SUPPORT

HB 1371SUPPORT

HB 1383CONCERNS

HB 1561SUPPORT

HB 1588OPPOSE

HB 1612CONCERNS

HB 1676OPPOSE

HB 1703OPPOSE

HB 1729SUPPORT

HB 1788SUPPORT

SB 5282SUPPORT

SB 5376CONCERNS

SB 5452CONCERNS

SB 5478CONCERNS

SB 5479OPPOSE

SB 5485OPPOSE

SB 5604NEUTRAL

SB 5625OPPOSE

SB 5635OPPOSE ?

SB 5711OPPOSE

HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

13 FebHBs 1147, 1676, 1588, 1612House Judiciary Committee

8:00 a.m.House Hearing Room “A”John L. O’Brien House Office Building

15 FebSB 5479Senate Law & Justice Committee

8:00 a..m.Senate Hearing Room “1”John A. Cherberg Senate Office Building

7 FebHB 1383House Judiciary Committee

1:30 p.m.House Hearing Room “A”John L. O’Brien House Office Building

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!!!

1-800-562-6000TDD 1-800-635-9993

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 http://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]
[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]
[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.

If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me
at “[email protected]” [email protected]>with the words
“Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.I will remove your name
immediately.Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun
lists.If you received GP via a lit, you must contact that list’s admin
to unsubscribe.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

Monroe16-17 February

Puyallup23-24 February

“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 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

GOAL Post 2013-3

Legislative Update from Olympia1 February 2013

NUMEROUS NEW GUN BILLS FILED

STAND BY FOR GUN REGISTRATION

FOUR NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS

LEGISLATOR CONTACT INFO

Seven new gun-related bills were filed in Olympia this week.HB 1561, by
Rep. Brian Blake (D-19), would reauthorize possession of short barreled
rifles, provided federal requirements were met.We lost this one in the
1994 rewrite of state firearms code. HB 1588, by Rep. Jaime Pedersen
(D-43), nominally calls for background checks on ALL firearm transfers
in Washington.More on this one a few paragraphs below.HB 1612, by Rep.
Mike Hope (R-44), would create a “firearm offender” registry, similar to
the current sex offender registry.Sounds nice, but sex offenses and
firearms offenses are two entirely different kinds of violation.SB 5376,
by Sen. Adam Kline (D-37) is the Senate counterpart (duplicate) to HB
1096.SB 5452, by Sen. Steve Conway (D-29), is the Senate counterpart to
HB 1383, adding firearm restrictions to those subject of a stalking
protection order.SB 5479, by Sen. Karen Keiser (D-33), a bizarre bill
that creates a system whereby firearms may be “voluntarily” surrendered
to law enforcement authorities for safekeeping for a 30-day period,
subject to extensions.While the term “voluntarily” appears several times
in the bill, it appears to allow family members and mental health
professionals to “recommend” surrender.A firearm not properly returned
to the legal owner may be “disposed of in accordance with agency
procedures” (usually destruction).SB 5483, by Sen. Adam Kline (D-37) is
another firearms safe storage bill that — technically at least — does
not “mandate” safe storage of a firearm, but imposes severe penalties,
up to a Class “C” felony, if an unauthorized person access your firearm(s).

Several bills are being run this session in an attempt to identify and
control the possession of firearms by prohibited persons, be they gang
members or mentally incompetent or juveniles… and occasionally the
otherwise innocent young person with a gun.The problem with bills
written so tightly as to catch ALL offenders is that they also catch
some people the law was never intended to catch, or where no criminal
intent existed.I have listed the GOAL Position on these bills as
“CONCERNS” in the hope that the bill sponsor will accept recommended
amendments to ensure the bill stays focused on the bad guys.”Concerns”
is NOT an endorsement of the bill.

A long time ago (and it seems in a land far away), then-Senate Majority
Leader Lyndon Johnson made this observation about bills/proposed
laws:”It is better to consider a bill in light of the HARM it will do if
IMPROPERLY administered, rather than in light of the GOOD it will do if
PROPERLY administered.”Far be it from me to accuse legislators of
intentionally passing misleading bills.But consider the 1970s RICO
(racketeering) statute, supposedly targeting organized crime, and how it
has been misapplied over the decades.It’s called the law of unintended
consequences, and the wrong people can be — and have been — harmed by it.

I expect several more extreme gun control bills to be offered during the
session, but at this point HB 1588 is the most dangerous bill under
consideration.Using classic bait & switch tactics (just as at the
federal level), HB 1588 nominally requires background checks — only —
of any firearm transferred in Washington state.It also allows up to a
$20 “fee” (tax?) for such background check.What this really is is a
firearm registration bill in disguise.Two methods of background check
are offered: processing by a federally-licensed firearms dealer (FFL) or
visit your local police or sheriff’s station and have them run a
background check.For an FFL to conduct a NICS background check on a
transfer, he or she must first log the firearm into the business’s
“bound book,”Then the buyer must fill out a Form 4473 before the
call.Between the bound book and the 4473, a permanent record of the
firearm and the buyer is created, subject to ATF inspection upon
demand.(If the buyer fails the background check, the FFL CANNOT return
your firearm to you until after another NICS check is conducted — on
you, with suitable fee.)

The second method is to ask your local police to do the check for
you.The bill mandates a form similar to the current state “white” form
used on all handgun transfers, complete with description of the buyer
and the firearm.Two problems here:the big one is that there is no
prohibition on law enforcement, or the Department of Licensing, from
keeping the records, either the form itself or transferred to a computer
data base. We call that “registration,” as in the State Pistol
Registry.The second problem here is that under federal law, local
agencies do not have legal access to NICS for simple transfers.

Let there be no doubt in your mind, HB 1588, and similar bills to be
offered at the federal level, are after one thing only: gun
registration.If they want to debate registration, by all means do so.But
call it what it is.Don’t try to sell it under a false flag, and one that
is likely to gain widespread support even among gun owners. There ARE
ways to conduct background checks WITHOUT the record-keeping. We showed
them that in Olympia twice in the past decade.They rejected it, and
admitted that what they wanted was the “audit trail” — the paperwork.

Four public hearings are scheduled next week on bills of gun owner
interest.The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1383
(Stalking) at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, 7 February in House Hearing Room
“A.”The Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee will hear THREE
bills next week: SBs 5282 (DSHS/WSP data exchange) and 5452 (Stalking)
at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 5 February in Senate Hearing Room 1.SB 5376 (Juvi
firearms) will be heard at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 7 February, also in
Senate Hearing Room “1.”

Public hearings 101.A public hearing is exactly that — an opportunity
for the public to provide input on bills under consideration.Each bill
starts with an explanation of the bill’s effect by committee staff, then
a statement by the bill’s prime sponsor.It is then opened to public
input, controlled by the committee chair.If you want to speak on a bill,
you must sign up prior to the hearing.Tables just outside or inside the
hearing room have sign-up sheets available.You can also sign on and
state your position on a bill (“pro” = support, “con” = oppose) without
giving public testimony.Public testimony is usually limited to a maximum
of three minutes, to allow as many as possible to speak, so keep your
testimony to one or two points.Start with your name, any organization
you might represent (you must be a designated representative, NOT just a
member), and your home town.In short, simple terms explain why you
support or oppose the bill.Do not repeat earlier testimony if another
person has made that point and do NOT attack or criticize people on the
other side of the issue.You may also leave a written copy of your
testimony with staff.

The Legislature has published new telephone and office directories for
the 2013 session.The following links can be used to identify direct
contact information:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Representatives/

BILL STATUS:

House Bill numbering begins with 1000; Senate Bills with 5000.The
following bills have been filed so far in the 2013-14 biennium:

Bill #SubjectSponsorStatus

HB 1096Juvi illegal firearm possessionHurst (D-31)H. Jud

HB 11471^st degree juvi unlawful possess.Goodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1184Range protectionTakko (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1318CPL renewal noticeTaylor (-15)H. Jud

HB 1371WA Firearms Freedom ActTaylor (R-15)H. Jud

HB 1383Stalking protection ordersGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

HB 1561Short barreled riflesBlake (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1588Background checksPedersen (D-43)H. Jud

HB 1612Firearm offender registryHope (R-44)H. Jud

SB 5282DSHS/WSP info exchangeCarrell (R-28)S. HS&C

SB 5376Juvi illegal firearm possessionKline (D-37)S. HS&C

SB 5452Stalking protection ordersConway (D-S. HS&C

SB 5479Safekeeping of firearmsKeiser (D-33)S. L&J

SB 5485Mandatory safe storageKline (D-37)S. L&J

Key to abbreviations:SB = Senate Bill, HB = House Bill, Jud = Judiciary,
L&J = Law & Justice, HS&C = Human Services & Corrections

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

HB 1096CONCERNS

HB 1147CONCERNS

HB 1184SUPPORT

HB 1318SUPPORT

HB 1371SUPPORT

HB 1383UNDER REVIEW

HB 1561SUPPORT

HB 1588OPPOSE

HB 1612OPPOSE

SB 5282SUPPORT

SB 5376CONCERNS

SB 5452CONCERNS

SB 5479OPPOSE

SB 5485OPPOSE

HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

5 FebSBs 5282 & 5452Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee

10:00 a.m.Senate Hearing Room “1”John A. Cherberg Senate Office Building

7 FebSB 5376Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee

10:00 a..m.Senate Hearing Room “1”John A. Cherberg Senate Office Building

7 FebHB 1383House Judiciary Committee

1:30 p.m.House Hearing Room “A”John L. O’Brien House Office Building

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!!!

1-800-562-6000TDD 1-800-635-9993

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 http://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]
[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]
[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.

If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me
at “[email protected]” [email protected]>with the words
“Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.I will remove your name
immediately.Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun
lists.If you received GP via a lit, you must contact that list’s admin
to unsubscribe.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

Monroe16-17 February

Puyallup23-24 February

“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 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

GOAL Post 2013-2

Legislative Update from Olympia 25 January 2013

(There was no GOAL Post published last week as I was at the annual
Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, back home for
20 hours, then back to Washington to visit Olympia.Tomorrow I’m in
Orlando for the annual meeting of the Florida Sport Shooting
Association.Then things slow down a bit after that!)

WALDRON’S VIEW

PRO-GUN RALLIES NATIONWIDE

LEGISLATIVE CUT-OFF DATES ADOPTED

HB 1012 DISAPPEARS!

PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON HB 1096

NEW GUN BILLS FILED

NO NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

THE OTHER WASHINGTON

REID WEAKENS FILIBUSTER

LEGISLATOR CONTACT INFO

I’m taking an unusual opportunity for an editorial (opinion) statement
on what is going on — or may go on — in Olympia.Those of you who know
me, or have worked with me in the past, know that I tend to take a “cup
half empty” view… of just about everything!That’s my background in
intelligence work:I’ll tell you the worst that can happen, then if
things turn out better, we can all smile.

I just spent several days in Olympia, talking with legislators in both
chambers and on both sides of the aisle.Most were generally optimistic
that — with pro-gun Republicans and Democrats working together — we
can block bad gun bills from moving forward.The numbers SEEM to be on
our side.But the NRA just released a very pessimistic statement about
the potential for disaster in Olympia.Who is correct?Everyone.But as the
NRA notes, it’s going to take work on EVERYONE’S part to stop bad things
from happening.

That means TALK TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.Call, write, e-mail… it
doesn’t matter,But let them know — politely and courteously — where
you stand on bills.No really bad bills have been filed yet, but rest
assured they are coming.And when they’re filed, expect a full court
press to pass them — IN BOTH WASHINGTONS.The President is already
pumping up his 2012 campaign team to push for HIS gun control agenda.

(And don’t believe the hype about surveys indicating significant gun
owner support for various gun control schemes.They’re lying, using
“self-identified” gun owners.Right.In 1997, Washington Ceasefire claimed
their polling showed 65% support for Initiative 676.On elevtion day, the
only poll that counts, it was 71% — AGAINST.)

On Saturday, 19 January, tens (hundreds?) of thousands of gun owners
rallied in state capitols and elsewhere from Olympia, Washington to
Tallahassee, Florida to show support for the Second Amendmentand the
fundamental right of self defense.Estimates of the Olympia rally run
around 2,000-2,500, but one State Patrol officer who was there said it
was closer to 4,000.Contrast that with the 200 or so who attended
Washington Ceasefire’s “assault weapon ban” rally in Seattle the Sunday
before!The turnout in Olympia would have been significantly higher, but
11,000 people attended the Washington Arms Collectors show in Puyallup
the same weekend.That’s a WAC record!!!I guess we can thank President
Obama for that.

One of the first orders of business for the legislature is adopting
internal controls called “cut-off dates.”These cut-offs force action on
bills or allow them to die for the session.If a bill fails to pass the
specified cut-off, it is nominally dead for the session (subject to
revival if the chamber — House or Senate — want it).The cut-off dates
for the 2013 session:

February 22Bills must pass original policy committee

March 1Bills with fiscal impact must pass first chamber fiscal committee

March 13Bills must pass original chamber (House bills out of House,
Senate bills out of Senate)

April 3Bills must pass second chamber policy committee

April 9Bills with fiscal impact must pass second chamber fiscal committee

April 17Bills must pass second chamber

April 28Legislature adjourns

In the first GOAL Post I reported the filing of HB 1012, a bill that
would have limited self defense and required retreat.Several people
e-mailed back to say that HB 1012 was another bill entirely.I was right
— and THEY are right.Typically when a bill is filed, that bill number
is taken and not reissued.If a bill dies, it dies with that
number.Apparently by withdrawing a pre-filed bill (filed before the
legislature convenes), the number is released.You learn something new
every session!

A public hearing was held on HB 1096, a bill that would strengthen
penalties against juveniles illegally possessing a firearm under a
variety of circumstances.While the intent of the bill is legitimate, by
closing or reducing flexibility (i.e. “loophole”) in existing law, the
occasional “good guy” may be trapped into a stiffer sentence than he or
she deserves.The NRA has drafted an amendment which will be offered for
the bill next week.Please ask your legislators to support the AMENDED
VERSION of the bill, not the original draft.

Several new firearm-related bills were filed in Olympia this week.Like
HB 1096, HB 1147 (Goodman, D-45) also addresses juvenile possession of
firearms.I haven’t had time to do a line-by-line analysis of the bill at
this time.HB 1184 (Takko, D-19) is a bill intended to protect shooting
ranges from malicious lawsuits resulting from alleged noise
violations.The bill is narrowly crafted in the hope that it will pass
this time around.Previous range protection bills have either been vetoed
by the Governor or failed to pass the legislature.HB 1318 (Taylor, R-15)
is our second attempt at getting the legislature to require DOL to mail
a renewal notice to CPL holders approximately 90 days prior to license
expiration.HB 1371 (Taylor, R-15) is titled the Washington State
Firearms Freedom Act.Like its counterpart in Montana and other states,
the FFA declares that firearms and accessories made solely within the
state of Washington, for use by Washington residents only, are not
subject to federal regulation, as no “interstate commerce” was
involved.It’s a great statement of principle, and in that sense worthy
of passage, but the ATF takes a dim view of these laws.HB 1381 (Goodman,
D-45) creates a new class of protection orders for the crime of
stalking.It’s a long bill and I haven’t had time to thoroughly digest it
yet.Next week.SB 5242 would direct DSHS to share limited mental health
information with the Washington State Patrol that would assist in
identifying potential threatening behavior.

There are no new public hearings scheduled for next week on any of the
gun bills currently filed.Remember under the cut-off calendar they have
more than three weeks left to consider bills.

I normally do not cover “the other Washington” in GOAL Post, but given
the level of activity and media hype, I will cover it briefly.Several
anti- and a few pro-gun bills have been filed in Congress so far this
year.The ones of big interest are HR 138 (McCarthy, D-NY), a normal
capacity magazine ban bill, a similar counterpart bill (duplicate) by
Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator Dianne Feinstein’s infamous
“assault weapon ban” bill.The McCarthy/Lautenberg magazine ban bill
allegedly grandfathers existing magazines.It also EXEMPTS retired law
enforcement officers from the ban (a tactic employed to eliminate law
enforcement objections to the bill; most gun laws exempt cops for
exactly that reason).The final language on the Feinstein bill has not
been posted as of Friday night.Her bill allegedly grandfathers existing
“assault weapons,” but requires their registration under the National
Firearms Act, just like REAL machines, together with the six month
background check, fingerprinting and photographing of owners, etc.It’s
not clear yet whether the Feinstein language allows future transfer of
existing “assault weapons” (it bans future manufacture) — with the $200
federal transfer tax — or require surrender upon the death of the
registered owner.

The filibuster is a long-standing Congressional procedure used to block
or slow certain legislation.In modern history, it is most commonly
practiced in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to move a bill
forward for a vote, while only a simple majority is needed to pass the
bill.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) earlier this week
attempted to get the Senate to exercise the “nuclear option” to
effectively eliminate the filibuster.While that effort failed, he did
get Senators to agree to weaken the proves, making it easier to get
bills to the Senate floor for a vote.This bodes ill for gun owners, as
the filibuster was an effective way to block bad legislation.

The Legislature has published new telephone and office directories for
the 2013 session.The following links can be used to identify direct
contact information:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Representatives/

BILL STATUS:

House Bill numbering begins with 1000; Senate Bills with 5000.The
following bills have been filed so far in the 2013-14 biennium:

Bill #SubjectSponsorStatus

HB 1096Juvi illegal firearm possessionHurst (D-31)H. Jud

HB 11471^st degree juvi unlawful possess.Goodman (D-45) H. Jud

HB 1184Range protectionTakko (D-19)H. Jud

HB 1318CPL renewal noticeTaylor (-15)H. Jud

HB 1371WA Firearms Freedom ActTaylor (R-15)H. Jud

HB 1381Stalking protection ordersGoodman (D-45)H. Jud

SB 5282DSHS/WSP info exchangeCarrell (R-28)S. L&J

Key to abbreviations:SB = Senate Bill, HB = House Bill, Jud = Judiciary,
L&J = Law & Justice, Fish/Ecol = Fisheries, Ecology & Parks, JuvJust =
Juvenile Justice, Educ = Education, LocGov = Local Government, NatRes =
Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks, PubSaf = Public Safety & Emergency
Preparedness, W&M = Ways and Means

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

HB 1096SUPPORT IF AMENDED

HB 1147UNDER REVIEW

HB 1184SUPPORT

HB 1318SUPPORT

HB 1371SUPPORT

HB 1383UNDER REVIEW

SB 5282SUPPORT

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!!!

1-800-562-6000TDD 1-800-635-9993

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 http://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]
[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]
[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.

If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me
at “[email protected]” [email protected]>with the words
“Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the subject line.I will remove your name
immediately.Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun
lists.If you received GP via a lit, you must contact that list’s admin
to unsubscribe.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

Monroe16-17 February

Puyallup23-24 February

“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 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA

GOAL Post2013-1

Legislative Update from Olympia 11 January 2013

WHAT IS GOAL POST?

LEGISLATURE CONVENES MONDAY, 14 JANUARY

LEGISLATIVE TUTORIAL

LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR

ANTI-GUN RALLY IN SEATTLE

PRO-GUN RALLY IN OLYMPIA

HB 1012 PRE-FILED TO LIMIT SELF DEFENSE

NO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED ON FIREARMS

DEMOCRAT CAUCUS DIVIDED ON GUNS

LEGISLATOR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

We have several new subscribers this year, so I’ll start with a basic
description of what GOAL is and what GOAL Post is.Formed circa 1992,
GOAL is an independent political action committee registered with the
Washington state Public Disclosure Commission.It is not a membership
organization, although it is managed by five trustees.In addition to
support for selected WASHINGTON STATE CANDIDATES ONLY during the
election cycle, GOAL publishes a weekly summary (GOAL Post) of
legislative activity in Olympia during the active legislative
session.Depending on workload, GOAL Post normally goes out via e-mail on
Friday nights.It provides a narrative summary of the previous week’s
activities, a listing (Bill Status) of firearm-related bills filed and
where they are in the process (GOAL does NOT cover hunting issues),
GOAL’s position on these bills, a notice of public hearings scheduled
for the following week, and information about how to contact your
legislators, and how to follow both live and recorded public hearings
and floor sessions via TVWashington.

GOAL Post does NOT normally cover events in the other Washington,
Washington, D.C.Given the Newtown, Connecticut, incident last month, we
are facing a massive attack on the rights of gun owners all across the
country.President Obama has convened a “select committee” of Vice
President Biden and others to develop an “action plan” to “reduce gun
violence.”It’s all the guns’ fault, you know.I will likely publish
individual alerts as the President’s plan takes shape and moves.

The 63rd biennial Washington state legislature convenes Monday, January
14th for its long (105 day) session.The principal focus of the long
legislative session is supposed to be the biennial budget, but rest
assured several other topics, including firearms, will receive
attention.The Democrats retained their slight majority in the 2012
election, so they continue nominal control of BOTH chambers (House and
Senate), but a funny thing happened during the legislative organizing
meeting in December.

The Senate is currently split 26 Democrats to 23 Republicans, giving
Democrats a three seat advantage.In December 2012 they held a meeting to
prepare for the 2013 session.This is where leadership is
elected.Senators Rodney Tom (D-48-Medina) and Tim Sheldon
(D-35-Potlatch) joined Republicans to give the GOP de facto control of
the Senate.Senator Tom was electedMajority Leader and Senator Sheldon
President-pro-tem.Republicans were also given chairmanships and control
of several committees, including the major budgetary committees AND
Senate Judiciary.Senator Mike Padden (R-4-Spokane Valley) will chair
Senate Judiciary, and (presumably) Adam Kline (D-37-Rainier Valley) will
be ranking member.Full committee rosters will not be published until the
session begins.

However…

Apparently Democrats have been discussing changing the rules just BEFORE
the new legislature is sworn in, thus preventing the majority coalition
from taking over the Senate.The DEMOCRATIC PARTY apparently doesn’t like
a democratic vote for leadership.Maybe they’d like to revisit the
presidential election, too?

For those new to legislative affairs, here’s how the process works:When
a bill is filed in the House or Senate (or both, simultaneously, called
“companion bills”) it is assigned to a policy committee.Most gun-related
bills go to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Senate.In the House
it’s a little more complicated, as it may be sent to House Judiciary,
House Public Safety, or House Juvenile Justice.Public hearings may be
held, after which the bill may (or may not) be voted out of committee.If
the bill has a fiscal impact (usually an expenditure of more than
$50,000), it must then go to Senate Ways & Means or one of a couple of
House fiscal committees.The bill then goes to the Senate or House Rules
Committee, where it must be voted on to pass out to the floor for a full
vote.

After a bill passes the Senate or House, it then goes over to the
opposite chamber (House or Senate), where the whole process starts over
again.If the bill passes the second chamber in the same form it passed
the first, it goes to the governor for signature (or veto or partial
veto).If changes are made in the second chamber, it goes back to the
first for concurrence.It may also go to a conference committee from both
chambers to resolve differences.The final version must pass both chambers.

The bill then goes to the Governor, who may sign it into law, veto
(kill) the bill, or sign a partial veto (killing just selected
section(s) of the bill).The governor may also allow a bill to become law
without his (or her) signature.Most signed bills take effect on 1 July,
although bills with an “emergency clause” (considered immediately
necessary for public safety) take effect upon signature by the governor.

One of the first items of business in each session is the adoption of
the session calendar, identifying dates by which bills must clear
various hurdles.A bill that fails to clear the policy committee or
chamber floor by the designated date is generally considered dead for
the year, although they may be “resurrected” by parliamentary
procedure.I’ll post the cut-off dates for the 2013 session in the next
issue of GOAL Post.

Bills from the last session are dead.New bills must be filed for
consideration by the 63nd Legislature, with new bill numbers.

Washington Ceasefire, with several church groups, will conduct a march
in downtown Seattle at 1:30 on Sunday, 13 January, to demand a ban on
semi-automatic firearms in Washington.(Semiautomatic rifles and shotguns
are commonly used by hunters and target shooters all across the U.S.,
and semiautomatic handguns are the choice of a majority of Americans for
personal protection and sport.)The march will start at Westlake Park and
proceed to the Seattle Center.IF you decide to visit as a counter to
this event, dress properly and mind your manners.Both Ceasefire and the
Seattle media would love to see an “angry mob of gun toters” turn out to
reinforce THEIR case.

On Saturday, 19 January, a PRO-GUN “Gun Appreciation Day” rally will be
held in Olympia on the Capitol Campus in the “diagonal” area (open lawn
west of Capitol Way S.)Further details will be published in a GOAL Alert
in a few days.

In early December, legislators are allowed to “pre-file” bills for the
upcoming session.Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-23-Kitsap) filed HB 1012, a
bill that would emasculate “stand-your-ground” (AKA no duty to retreat),
requiring an individual to retreat from any threat before resorting to
force in response.Unlike more than 20 states, Washington does not have a
stand-your-ground statute — it’s the result of decades of court
decisions, usually referred to as “black letter law” (i.e. judges
effectively made and follow that practice).

Earlier this week Appleton announced she is pulling her bill after
received angry telephone calls and e-mails — and even threats — from
gun owners across Washington.That she received communications
criticizing her bill I have no doubt.Threats?Did she report them to police?

There are NO gun-related bills scheduled for a public hearing the first
week of the session.Weekly schedules are published on Wednesday evening
for the following week, although changes may be made, supposedly with
proper advance notification, but it doesn’t always happen that way!

We still have a solid bloc of Democrat pro-gun Senators and
Representatives who will vote on our side of the issue.This bloc will
surely be put to the test in this session.The so-called “road kill”
caucus, joining with Republicans on gun issues, is what has saved us in
Olympia, so far.If you live in a rural or even suburban district with
Democrat Representatives or a Democrat Senator, it is important that you
call their office and express concern about your gun rights.Ask them to
keep you informed of any gun-related legislation.This lets them know
that you are watching them on this issue.

The Legislature has not yet published new telephone and office
directories because legislators are not sworn in until Monday, 14
January.The following links can be used at that time to identify direct
contact information:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Representatives/

BILL STATUS:

All bills filed during the 2011-12 biennium are dead.The following bills
have been pre-filed for the 2013-14 biennium:

Bill #SubjectSponsorStatus

HB 1012Limits self-defenseAppleton (D-23)H. Jud

Key to abbreviations:SB = Senate Bill, HB = House Bill, Jud = Judiciary,
Fish/Ecol = Fisheries, Ecology & Parks, JuvJust = Juvenile Justice, Educ
= Education, LocGov = Local Government, NatRes = Natural Resources,
Ecology & Parks, PubSaf = Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness, W&M =
Ways and Means

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

HB 1012OPPOSE

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!!!

1-800-562-6000TDD 1-800-635-9993

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]“.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.

If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me
at “[email protected]” with the words “Unsubscribe GOAL Post” in the
subject line.I will remove your name immediately.Keep in mind GOAL Post
is also published on several gun lists.If you received GP via a lit, you
must contact that list’s admin to unsubscribe.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

Monroe12-13 January

Puyallup19-20 February

“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 2013 Gun Owners Action League of WA