GOAL Post |
2015-6 |
Legislative Update from Olympia |
13 February 2015 |
NEW BILLS FILED
7 FEB “WE WILL NOT COMPLY” GATHERING
NEW BILLS FILED
10 FEB MOMS DEMAND ATTENTION DAY
HEARINGS HELD
HEARINGS SCHEDULED
FIRST POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF NEXT FRIDAY
PREEMPTION IN THEIR SIGHTS — SEATTLE TIMES
INTERSTATE HANDGUN SALE BAN STRUCK DOWN
On Saturday, 7 February, about 50 individuals associated with the “I will not comply” group of I-594 opponents once again met in Olympia to protest the initiative. Again, the legislature was off for the weekend, and only a few legislators were present.
Three new firearm-related bills were introduced this weekend. All three were referred to the House Judiciary Committee for action. HB 2031, by Rep. Mark Harmsworth (R-44), expands the current sales tax exemption for gun safes to other firearm safety devices. HB 2088, by Rep. Matt Shea (R-4), lowers the age for issue of a concealed pistol license from 21 to 18. HB 2089, also by Rep. Shea, would amend the current CPL reciprocity law to recognize all licenses issued to any state. The only restriction is that the nearer must be 18 years of age or over.
On Tuesday, 10 February, the “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America” another gun control group supported by former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, held a rally in Olympia. More appropriately titled “Moms Demand Attention,” the small gathering spent most of their time preaching to their own choir or like-minded legislators.
A funny thing happened at the public hearing on HB 1857 (extreme protection orders) this week. Richard Bartholomew, legislative coordinator of the Family Law Executive Committee of the State Bar Association testified AGAINST the bill. Bartholomew said current state law contains sufficient provisions to disarm those considered to be dangerous. Judiciary Committee Chairwoman and bill sponsor Laurie Jinkins was none too happy to hear that. Whether this will influence her intent to pass the bill out of committee, or influence any of the Judiciary Committee members remains to be seen.
Hearings were held on several other bills as well. No further action was taken on some, while others passed out of committee. SBs 5500 (retired LEO carry on school campus), 5579 (security guard exemption to I-594), 5615 (military/LEO exemption to I-594), and 5658 (reporting of mental health information) all passed out. Executive session (committee vote) is scheduled on several bills next week (just before the policy committee cut-off).
At this point no additional public hearings are scheduled on gun bills.
The first major legislative session cut-off hurdle comes next Friday (20 February), when bills must pass their first policy committee or be considered dead for the session. This is the first, and typically the biggest, cull of the session. Many well intended bills, and some less than well intended, will die. Technically, at least, because this hurdle, like the others in the session cut-off calendar can be waived if leadership wants to see a bill move. New versions of bills that have died may also be introduced.
An article published earlier this week in the Seattle Times indicates many cities have placed state preemption in their sights. The move is being led by MoveOn.org, the liberal Democrat activist group. State preemption is the law, first passed in 1983, that prohibits cities and counties from passing their own gun control ordinances. By passing preemption, the legislature has said it wants to see uniform firearm laws statewide, thereby NOT placing at risk a gun owners who travels into or through several jurisdictions with stricter gun laws. Preemption is by no means unique or unusual – more than 40 states have some form of preemption law in force. This is not the first time cities have attacked preemption. Hopefully they will meet the same fate this time that they have in the past – failure.
Also earlier this week a federal judge in the Northern District of Texas struck down the prohibition contained in the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA 1968) that blocks purchase of a handgun across a state line. GCA 1968 allowed long gun (rifle and shotgun) purchases from an out of state federal dealer (FFL), but blocked handgun sales. Citing the 1998 creation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which is a nationwide data base of individuals prohibited from possessing ANY firearm, the court said there is no reason why handgun sales through FFLs should be blocked. Expect the Justice Department to appeal this.
BILL STATUS:
| Bill # | Subject | Prime sponsor | Status |
| HB 1119 OPPOSE |
Hunter education issues | Blake (D-17) | H. Ag/NatRes |
| SHB 1131 OPPOSE |
Prohibits sale/transfer of ivory | Pettigrew (D-37) | H. Ag/NatRes |
| HB 1191 SUPPORT |
CPL renewal notices | Taylor (R-15) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1193 SUPPORT |
Prohibiting gun owner data base | Taylor (R-15) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1245 SUPPORT |
Repeals I-594 | Shea (R-4) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1324 SUPPORT |
Codifies castle doctrine and stand your ground Shea (R-4) | Shea (R-4) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1433 SUPPORT |
Modifies Gun Free School Zone law | Scott (R-38) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1442 SUPPORT |
Exp. economic development via firearms/ammo | G. Hunt (R-2) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1474 SUPPORT |
Defense against animal attack | Taylor (R-15) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1506 SUPPORT |
Exempts security guard transfers from I-594 | Kirby (D-29) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1521 SUPPORT |
Returns NICS “delay” to three days (I-594) | Taylor (R-15) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1533 SUPPORT |
Exempts guns loaned to museums from I-594 | Van Werven (R-42) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1535 SUPPORT |
Exempts active LEOs from waiting period | Klippert (R-8) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1594 OPPOSE |
Imitation firearms | Wylie (D-49) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1692 OPPOSE |
Imitation firearms | Wylie (D-49) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1713 OPPOSE |
Mental health/guns | Cody (D-34) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1722 SUPPORT |
Short barreled rifles | Hayes (R-10) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1731 OPPOSE |
Return of firearms held by law enforcement | Ormsby (D-3) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1747 OPPOSE |
Safe storage of firearms | Kagi (D-32) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1857 OPPOSE |
Extreme protective orders | Jinkins (D-27) | H. Jud. |
| HB 1886 SUPPORT |
Repeals I-594 by popular vote | Hunt (R-2) | H. Jud. |
| HB 2031 SUPPORT |
Tax exemption for firearm safety device | Harmsworth (R-44) | H. Jud. |
| HB 2088 SUPPORT |
Lowers age for CPL from 21 to 18 | Shea (R-4) | H. Jud. |
| HB 2089 SUPPORT |
Expands CPL reciprocity; lowers age to 18 | Shea (R-4) | H. Jud. |
| SB 5036 NEUTRAL |
Penalizes criminal misuse of body armor | O’Ban (R-28) | S. L&J |
| SB 5241 OPPOSE |
Prohibits sale/transfer of ivory | Litzow (R-41) | S. NatRes/Parks |
| SB 5381 OPPOSE |
Return of firearms held by law enforcement | Billig (D-3) | S. L&J |
| SB 5476 SUPPORT |
Exempts active LEOs from waiting period | Dammeier (R-25) | S. L&J |
| *SB 5500 SUPPORT |
Allows retired LEOs to carry on school grounds | Roach (R-31) | S. L&J |
| SB 5539 SUPPORT |
Exempts LEO’s from three day waiting period | Roach (R-31) | S. L&J |
| *SB 5579 SUPPORT |
Exempts licensed security guards from b/g checks | Dammeier (R-25) | S. L&J |
| *SB 5615 SUPPORT |
Exempts military members from b/g checks | Benton (R-17) | S. L&J |
| SB 5643 OPPOSE |
Mental health/guns | O’Ban (R-28) | S. HumSer |
| SB 5658 NEUTRAL |
Reporting of mental health commitment | Dansel (R-7) | S. L&J |
| SB 5727 OPPOSE |
Extreme protective orders | Frockt (D-46) | S. L&J |
| SB 5789 OPPOSE |
Safe storage of firearms | Kohl-Welles (D-36) | S. L&J |
| SB 5831 Support |
Restoration of firearm rights | Honeyford (R-15) | S. L&J |
SHB/SSB = Substitute Bill (bill amended in committee), HB = House Bill, SB = Senate Bill, H. Aprop = House Appropriations, H. Jud. = House Judiciary, S. L&J = Senate Law & Justice, H. Ag/NatRes = House Agriculture & Natural Resources, S. NatRes/Parks = Senate Natural Resources & Parks, S. Hum Ser = Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing, H. GenGov = House General Government & Info Technology
* indicates change in status this week
HEARINGS SCHEDULED:
No hearings scheduled at this time.
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
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.
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Upcoming WAC gun show(s):
Monroe 14-15 February
Puyallup 21-22 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 2015 Gun Owners Action League of WA
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Posted by: GOAL WA <[email protected]>