Gun Owners Action League of Washington

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  • GOAL endorses WAFLAG 1/15/15 Legislative Rally at Capitol

    GOAL endorses WAFLAG 1/15/15 Legislative Rally at Capitol

    011515rally_fbcoverThe Gun Owners Action League, today announced that it would join the Washington Arms Collectors, I Love Guns & Coffee,  the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership and the Second Amendment Foundation as sponsors of the January 15th I-594: Rally for Your Rights at 9:00 a.m. at the Capitol in Olympia.

    Rally hosts include private individuals and organizations including Protect Our Gun Rights Washington, Pink Pistols, WaGuns.org and the Gun Rights Coalition operating through the umbrella group Washington Firearms Leadership and Advocacy Group.

    GOAL has been a major force protecting and restoring Second Amendment rights in Olympia for over twenty years with its dedicated efforts to defeat ill-considered legislation attacking firearms owners and to press for laws recognizing and protecting fundamental firearms rights and an early supporter of efforts opposing the poorly written and deeply misguided I-594. Often fighting uphill battles against anti-gun legislative majorities and governors, GOAL has consistently held its ground or made actual advances in the face of long odds.

    Joined on the legislative scene by Protect Our Gun Rights Washington, GOAL will only be more effective with a strong ally by its side.

    GOAL’s efforts – whether through direct legislative action or through supporting pro-gun candidates – have held the line nearly alone for Washington gun owners rights for decades. Today they are being reinforced with grass roots support, new allies in Olympia and ever more vital relationships on both sides of the aisle.

    Join GOAL and your fellow gun owners at the January 15th Rally for Your Rights to hear a wide variety of gun rights viewpoints before visiting your legislator and helping them understand the importance of repealing or amending I-594 and other bad gun laws.

    WAFLAG will provide help at the rally to folks unsure of who their legislator is and how best to meet with them. In the meantime, locate your legislator by going to www.app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/ or contact the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Let them know your views!

    Be Present. Be Effective. Fight the Fight!

  • GOAL Alert 4-2014

    GOAL Alert                                                                                                 4-2014
    Election update                                                                            9 November 2014

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES

    SILVER LINING

    MOMENTUM FOR GUN CONTROL?

    I-594: WHAT NEXT?

    WARNING!!!

    THE OTHER WASHINGTON

    Tomorrow, 10 November 2014, is the 239th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.  Happy birthday to all of my Marine brethren and to our “FMF Corpsman,” the highest calling in the Navy.  Right after “Semper fidelis” comes “Corpsman up!”    (The devil made me put that in GOAL Post.)

    47% of the registered voters in Washington took the trouble to return their mail-in ballots this time around.  Shame on any gun owners who failed to vote.

    For gun owners, the passage of I-594 will no doubt dominate the discussion, and I’ll get to that next.  But there is a silver lining in the election.  My biggest fear the day before the election was that I-594 supporters would use their $9 MILLION bank account to conduct a massive get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaign.  Without question that would have had a spillover effect on the legislative elections.  But apparently they didn’t — and it didn’t.

    The overall result of the legislative elections was a net plus for Republicans.  Former Democrat Representative and now Republican Senator-elect Mark Miloscia (R-30-Federal Way) won his bid to replace retiring Democrat Tracy Eide, giving Republicans clear majority control of the state Senate, 25R-24D.  Add to that the fact that nominally-Democrat Senator Tim Sheldon beat off an attempt by Party loyalists to run a Democrat challenger, Irene Bowling, against him.  No doubt with a lot of help from Republican voters in the 35th, Tim won his election, and will no doubt continue to work with Republicans in the Majority Coalition.  (And congratulations to WAC Honorary Life Member Pam Roach (R-31) for her victory over a Republican challenger.)

    On the House side, the GOP picked up four seats, and a fifth seat awaits a recount vote.  Welcome Representatives-elect Lynda Wilson (R-17) (also an NRA-certified firearms safety instructor), Melanie Stambaugh (R-25), Michelle Caldier (R-26) and Dan Griffey (R-35).  All four defeated incumbent Democrats.  That gives us a House make-up of 51Ds-47Rs, not a Republican majority, but a lot closer.  All but one of the pro-gun Democrats also won reelection, so from a purely gun rights perspective, we should be in good shape.

    Immediately following the election, in press conferences crowing about their initiative victory, I-594 supporters promised an aggressive gun control campaign in the next legislative session, looking at things like “assault weapon” bans, magazine capacity limits, mandatory safe storage, etc.  At least theoretically, a Republican-controlled Senate and a pro-gun majority in the House should bring all such designs to a rapid halt.  But politics doesn’t always work that way, especially in the House where control still rests with Democrats, and leadership decides which bills move and which bills die.  There is no doubt gun control advocates believe momentum is on their side, and they’ll attempt to exploit it.

    As for I-594, at this point there are more questions than answers.  Given the ambiguity of many provisions in the initiative, it’s going to boil down to a question of interpretation, followed by a decision of what will be enforced, in which way.  Without doubt you can expect full enforcement of background checks at gun shows and for any other permanent transfer (sale) of a firearm.  While a strict reading of the provisions for loans, etc, would call for background checks here, too, that’s going to be difficult to enforce, and it remains to be seen what guidance will be given to police.  This should all be hashed out before the initiative takes effect on 4 December, a day before the WAC gun show in Monroe, coincidentally!

    There are discussions underway about how to attack 594, and how to limit its impact on law-abiding gun owners.  As an initiative passed by the people, for two years any legislative fixes would take a 2/3 majority vote of the legislature — and that ain’t gonna happen.  But there are potentially some legislative actions that can be taken around the to ameliorate the impact.  Court challenges are also a possibility, for portions of the initiative.  Again, the issue is being worked.  More on that as they develop.

    I’ll be publishing more information about enforcement, and the gun community’s reaction to it, as the effective date approaches.

    WARNING!  I expect our law enforcement professionals to be exactly that — professionals. While most did not support I-594, now that it is law they have a duty to enforce it, as interpreted by their chain-of-command.

    What I DO expect to see is attempted stings — entrapment scenarios played out, especially at venues like gun shows.  Not by police officers, but by 594 supporters.  You get out of your car at the gun show, pull a shotgun out of the trunk and head for the gate.  It wouldn’t surprise me to see someone approach you and make an offer for the shotgun.  You ask, “What about the background check,” and the “buyer” responds, “Hey, who’s to see or know?”  The person that will see and know is the guy the next lane over, with his cellphone camera or videocam up and running, recording the whole transaction.  And that will force our police friends into enforcing a law they may not like or agree with, but it’s the law.

    DO NOT GET TRAPPED.  LIKE IT OR NOT, FOLLOW THE LAW UNTIL WE GET IT SORTED OUT!

    By now the whole world knows that Republicans have taken control of the U.S. Senate, giving them a 52-46 majority in that body.  Two seats are still up for grabs, both likely to go to Republicans, giving them 54-46 control when the new, 114th, Congress convenes in January.  The only thing we know for sure at this point is that it will be an interesting two years!

    Hopefully Republicans understand that the election results were not so much an embrace of Republican policies and principles as it was a rejection of Obama policies.  There’s a big difference there, obviously.  But it’s hard for someone who just won an election to think that it wasn’t so much his or her winning personality as much as dislike for the other guy — or the other guy’s surrogate, President Obama.

    It wasn’t particularly encouraging to hear the president say that he not only heard the voters, he heard “the voice of those that did not vote.”  Huh?  He’s hearing voices?  Is this the same guy who said in 2012, “If you don’t like my policies, go win an election.”  Well, they did.  In 1994, after the Democrat disaster that saw Republicans take control of both chambers of Congress, then-President and master politician Bill Clinton acknowledged that some of the loss was due to his policies, and he accepted full responsibility for that.  Three words you will NEVER hear Barack Obama say are, “I accept responsibility.”

    In 1995 and beyond, Clinton moved to the center, worked with Republicans on many issues, and passed landmark legislation such as welfare reform (since overturned by a stroke of Obama’s executive pen).  President Obama is still threatening us with that executive pen, apparently with immigration “reform” (i.e. amnesty) at the top of the list.  And how close to the top is gun control?

    One clear outcome is that for the first time in his presidency, Obama will have to take responsibility for using that pen, whether for executive orders that exceed his authority or for use of the veto.  For the past four years, the Republican-controlled House has been passing bill after bill, only to have them stonewalled in the Senate by Harry Reid.  Reid has been running interference for Obama.

    That firewall is gone.  Bills will now move to the president’s desk, and if he vetoes them, we will know where the “gridlock:” lies.  Expect a lot of, “Well, the Republicans MADE me veto the bill, it’s not my fault.  They knew I wouldn’t sign it.”  I guess that’s an improvement from pointing the finger at George W. Bush!

    One last shot.  53% of your fellow citizens did not vote in the election.  The next time someone complains to you about the effect of I-594, ask them if they voted.  If they didn’t, you know where the blame lies.  Shame on them.

    The next legislative session begins on 12 January.  I expect to start publishing GOAL Post a week prior to that.

  • GOAL Alert 3-2014 Election update

    GOAL Alert                                                                                             3-2014
    Election update                                                                         22 October 2014

    TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE GUEST COLUMNIST OPPOSES I-594

    MAJORITY OF WASHINGTON SHERIFFS NOW OPPOSE 594

    MAJORITY OF RANK AND FILE WASHINGTON COPS OPPOSE 594

    WHY ARE YOU RECEIVING THIS ALERT?

    The following article was published in the Tacoma News Tribune on Sunday, 19 October.  The author, Phil Shave, is the retired Chief of Law Enforcement for Washington State Parks and a long-time instructor with the Criminal Justice Training Commission.  He is currently the Executive Director of the Washington Arms Collectors (WAC).

    http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/10/19/3437947/no-on-i-594-dont-turn-neighbors.html

    NO ON 594:  DON’T TURN NEIGHBORS INTO ACCIDENTAL CRIMINALS

    Would you vote for a law that would make criminals of half your neighbors? Initiative 594 would do exactly that.

    In their zeal to impose “universal background checks,” the creators of I-594 have written a law that would require nearly all “transfers” of firearms to be conducted at the premises of a Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer.

    I-594 defines transfers as a change of possession, no matter how temporary, including gifts and loans. There are exceptions for family gifts, organized competitions and youth activities, but they are so narrow that most recreational, non-sale transfers would be crimes.

    The father who loans a hunting rifle to an adult son during hunting season would commit a misdemeanor (upon the first violation). When the rifle is returned, both father and son would be two-time offenders, and thus felons under I-594.

    Shooting buddies who met on public land or their own property to target practice with shared firearms would violate I-594. Routine gun repairs would also be criminalized. The initiative would effectively forbid you from dropping your firearm off with a gunsmith friend unless he had a federal license. Most gunsmiths in this state, often the most skilled, lack federal licenses.

    Women are targeted by several provisions. Instructors could no longer provide loaner firearms during introductory women’s self-defense classes. And if your sister were being stalked and in fear of her life, and you loaned her a firearm, you would both be criminals. I-594 has an exception to “prevent imminent death,” but the legal definition of imminent means “about to happen.”

    Widows and heirs beware: If your spouse died and you found a couple of handguns in your husband’s sock drawer 61 days after death, then you’d be an accidental felon.

    I-594 only allows you 60 days to register those guns; after that, they’d become contraband. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and intent to commit a crime is not an element written into 594. Why write a law that makes inheritance of grandpa’s old guns a crime?

    Colorado passed a law in 2013 requiring universal background checks, but the Colorado law includes exceptions for temporary transfers without change of ownership, transfers while hunting or target shooting, transfers for gun repairs and loans for 72 hours. The transfer fee is capped at a reasonable $10 (fees are unlimited in I-594).

    If only I-594 were that reasonable. Failure to complete the Colorado paperwork is a misdemeanor, whereas I-594 makes the first offense a gross misdemeanor and the second a Class C felony.

    I urge you to follow the lead of our state’s law enforcement officers, those who deal with crime and criminals on a daily basis; they oppose I-594 and support passage of Initiative 591. Vote yes on I-591 because it leaves intact our current background check laws while allowing our state to implement future enhancements adopted at the federal level for all 50 states.

    I-594’s penalty provisions are one huge reason that law enforcement officers oppose this flawed initiative. Its promoters cleverly revised the law to define an I-594 felony as a “serious” offense, placing it in the same category as child molestation, third-degree rape, leading organized crime and drive-by shootings.

    You could loan your gun to a friend for the weekend, and the judge hearing your paperwork crime would have to follow “serious” crime-sentencing guidelines, including consecutive sentences for these newly defined “serious” crimes.

    No law enforcement organization supports Initiative 594.

    The Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs represents the majority of law enforcement line-level officers in our state; it opposes the initiative. The Washington State Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association opposes it. These are the firearm professionals who would be tasked with enforcing this unreasonable law.

    Nineteen elected sheriffs oppose I-594. They understand that the initiative will consume scarce resources in the prosecution and imprisonment of its accidental violators.

    (When Phil’s column was submitted to the T-N-T, nineteen sheriffs had joined us in opposing I-594.  In the past few days, six more sheriffs have climbed aboard, bringing the total to 25 of the state’s 39 county sheriffs.)

    As noted above, 25 county sheriffs have added their names to the list of those opposing I-594.  In addition to their law enforcement expertise in addressing this issue, there is one more important thing you should understand:  all of these sheriffs are ELECTED OFFICIALS, and answerable to their constituents.

    At this time, the 25 sheriffs who are opposing I-594 are (in county alphabetical order):

    Sheriff John Hunt — Adams County

    Sheriff Steven Keane – Benton County

    Sheriff Brian Burnett — Chelan County

    Sheriff Bill Benedict – Clallam County

    Sheriff Rocky MIller — Columbia County

    Sheriff Mark Nelson — Cowlitz County

    Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal – Douglas County

    Sheriff Pete Warner — Ferry County

    Sheriff Richard Lathim – Franklin County

    Sheriff Ben Keller — Garfield County

    Sheriff Thomas Jones – Grant County

    Sheriff Rick Scott – Grays Harbor County

    Sheriff Rick McComas — Klickitat County

    Sheriff Steve Mansfield — Lewis County

    Sheriff Wade Magers – Lincoln County

    Sheriff Frank Rogers — Okanogan County

    Sheriff Scott Johnson — Pacific County

    Sheriff Alan Botzheim — Pend Orielle County

    Sheriff Dave Brown, Skamania County

    Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich — Spokane County

    Sheriff Kendle Allen – Stevens County

    Sheriff John Snaza – Thurston County

    Sheriff Mark Howie – Wahkiakum County

    Sheriff John Turner – Walla Walla County

    Sheriff Brett Myers — Whitman County

    If YOUR sheriff isn’t on this list, you might ask him why?

    Note that sheriffs AND rank and file police officers — the officers that actually patrol the streets, oppose 594 and support 591.  The Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs (WACOPS), the largest police union in Washington representing a majority of sworn officers, has formally adopted a position opposing I-594 and supporting I-591.  The same is true of the Washington State Law Enforcement Firearm Instructors Association (WSLEFIA).  Who would know better the negative impact of I-594 than these dedicated officers.

    What about police chiefs?  As noted above, sheriffs are elected by residents of their county.  They pay attention to their constituents.  Rank and file officers that daily patrol our streets have minds of their own, and opinions of their own  Neither support 594.

    So how about chiefs?  One thing to keep in mind:  police chiefs work for City Hall, and hold their positions at the pleasure of the mayor or city council.  Their opinions tend to match those of their bosses.  Having said that, police chiefs statewide are represented by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs — WASPC.  WASPC does not have a dog in this fight, they’re neutral.

    Why are you receiving this e-mail?  Theoretically no one on this list should need this e-mail.  I would hope all of you are going to vote the right way on both initiatives:  YES on 591, NO on 594.  So why am I preaching to the choir, as it were?

    Because we need YOUR HELP in getting the word out — to fellow gun owners who are not as politically-attuned as are you, and more importantly to the non-gun owning voters out there who are NOT getting the full story, especially on I-594.  Our budget is extremely limited.  The other side has nearly $9 MILLION to throw into television, radio and print media advertising.

    As Joseph Goebbels observed more than 70 years ago, if you repeat a big lie often enough, people WILL believe it. And that is what billionaires Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Paul Allen and Chip Hanauer are counting on (all with private security details).  They don’t need to fool all of the people all of the time, they only need to fool 51% of the people through election day.

    I’m sending this information out in the hope that YOU will pick up pen, or sit at keyboard, and help get the word out to others.  A simple and cheap way to do this is letters to the editor of your local newspaper.  Newspapers DO print letters whose position they do not agree with.  Over the years I have been reasonably successful in getting several letters published in the Seattle Times and P-I, no friends of gun owners.

    Letters should be brief — ideally 150 words or less, and limited to one or two points.  Taking your cue from this alert, you might bring out the fact that law enforcement statewide is opposed to I-594 and supports I-591.  That message is NOT being conveyed by the mainstream media.  This is your opportunity to do that, using their print space!

    E-mail and snail mail addresses for your paper’s Letters to the Editor may be found on the letters page, usually in a box at the side or on the bottom.  Policy on word limits are usually there, too, but 150 is a good number.  Enough to get your point across.

    I haven’t said much about I-591 here.  I’m saving that for another alert.  But it’s there on the ballot, too, and it needs and deserves your YES vote.  That’s another way of fighting 594.

  • GOAL Alert – Election Update – 2-2014

    GOAL Alert                                                                                             2-2014
    Election update                                                                         17 October 2014

    IT’S CRUNCH TIME

    BALLOTS WENT IN THE MAIL TODAY

    THE FUTURE OF GUN RIGHTS IN WASHINGTON IS IN YOUR HANDS

    VOTE NO ON 594            VOTE YES ON 591

    VOTE NOW

    While the campaigning will go on for another 18 days, ballots went in the mail today.  You’ll receive yours with a day or three.  Washington is one of four 100% vote-by-mail states; no lining up at a polling place to cast your ballot.  The one in your mail box is the only one you’ll get.  A disadvantage of vote-by-mail is no ID is required to get the ballot — whoever has access to your mail box has access to your ballot.  Look for it, open it, fill it out, and get it back in the mail.

    GOAL just funded a special mailing of 100,000+ postcards to 11 selected districts we believe are critical to the election.  You may or may not receive one.  The NRA has done the same thing with its nearly 100,000 members in Washington.  GOAL postcards started arriving on Friday, 17 October.

    Those of you who read my monthly legislative news column in the Washington Arms Collector’s Gun-News have already read most of this.  But for the many GOAL Post subscribers who are not WAC members, here’s some background on the endorsement process.

    I used two guiding principles in preparing the list, which was provided to the Washington Arms Collectors for their approval, and to the GOAL trustees for the same.  The first was to identify and start the list with those “righteous Democrats” who have been supporting Washington’s gun owners for the past decade or more.  (More on those selections later.)  We owe them.

    Next up was pro-gun Republicans, followed by “any Republican.”  We have endorsed a few Libertarian candidates when Washington’s “high two” system left no more suitable candidate.  (For the record, I’m a conservative “small-l Libertarian; but we live in a two party system, and your chances of winning election if you do not have an (R) or a (D) after your name are almost impossible.  I know many libertarian elected officials, but all ran as Republicans.)  Finally, there are several “No recommendation” listings.  In these cases, neither of the candidates would do anything to enhance gun rights in Washington.

    Why support Republicans who are weak on the gun issue?  Because it solidifies Republican control of a chamber (House or Senate), if that can be achieved.  And with strong pro-gun leadership in both chambers, we don’t have to worry how they might vote because bad bills will never make it to the floor for a vote.

    There are a couple (literally, two) of dual endorsements on the list, the “xxx OR yyy” candidates.  I don’t like dual endorsements.  It tends to confuse voters.  But sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

    I’ve received half a dozen calls already today regarding the candidates listed on our postcards, or listed in the WAC Gun-News.  Most disagreement focused on the Democrats we endorsed.  The big questions was “WHY?”  I’ll use the following two examples to answer;

    The Democrats had solid control of the legislature from 2001 to 2013.  In 2013, two Democrats sided with the (then) 23 Republicans in the state Senate to revolt and seize control, calling themselves the “Majority Coalition Caucus”.  So for two years, control of the legislature has been split, but the Democrats retained solid control of the House.

    In the past 13 years, more than 50 anti-gun bills have been filed — “assault weapon” bans, “gun show loophole,” universal background checks, expanded public place bans, etc, etc.  You name it, it was filed.  But none passed.  Why?

    Because a handful of Democrats in the legislature, House and Senate both, stood WITH their constituents and AGAINST their leadership and their more liberal Democrat colleagues, at great political risk to themselves.  Several were threatened with primary challenges, and in Senator Tim Sheldon’s case that’s where we are today.  This handful of Democrats, with the Republican minority, were able to block all of the anti-gun legislation proposed.

    We owe those Democrats.  Big time.  I/we don’t agree with them on every issue, but we all agree on the gun issue.  And that’s what this is all about.  Preserving our gun rights.

    Specifically regarding Representative Pat Sullivan, Pat is the House Majority leader, the Speaker’s principal adviser on which bills to bring to the floor for a vote and which bills to let die.  Pat is the man who convinced House Speaker Frank Chopp to NOT bring House Bill (HB) 1588 up for a vote almost two years ago.  You recall HB 1588 don’t you?  It’s the universal background check bill they tried to slip through after the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting.  Pat, and six or seven of his fellow Democrats stood up to the Speaker and refused to vote for the bill, thus guaranteeing it’s defeat.  Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Speaker Chopp wisely decided to let the bill die.  We owe several Democrat Representatives for their support for gun owners, but Pat Sullivan leads the pack.

    Senator Tim Sheldon, the majority Coalition’s Senate President Pro Tem, has been standing with gun owners for more than 20 years.  It was his deciding vote in 1994 that killed the amendment that would have required training to obtain a concealed pistol license.  (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a certified firearms safety instructor for 40 years.  I firmly believe that anyone who chooses to exercise his or her Second Amendment rights has a moral obligation to do so safely, to the extent they can afford training.  But I don’t believe the state has any business interfering in a fundamental Constitutional right.  Just as the Supreme Court ruled poll tests were unconstitutional decades ago, so should state-mandated training.)  Tim flew around the state with us in 1997, opposing I-676, the so-called trigger lock initiative” that was actually a handgun possessor (that’s right, possessor, not just an owner) licensing bait-and-switch initiative (much as today’s I-594 is a bait-and-switch background check initiative).  Sheldon now faces a liberal Democrat, Irene Bowling.  We need to keep Sheldon in place to keep the Senate in Republican hands AND protect YOUR gun rights.

    Those two, and a handful of other brave DEMOCRATS who stand between you and just about every imaginable gun control law.

    If you compare the lists, you will see that the NRA and GOAL are in about 99% agreement.  We run our endorsement process somewhat differently, however.   The NRA assigns grades based on known voting records for incumbents.  They then send out questionnaires to new candidates, and based on the response to those questionnaires, assigns grades.  They endorse specific candidates, but give you the grade rating for both candidates in the race.  You choose.  That’s probably a more “fair” way to do it.  The problem with questionnaires is, candidates can lie.

    GOAL takes a different tack.  GOAL only lists a single candidate for each position, in effect a push-poll to direct you to the candidate we believe best suits the interests of Washington gun owners.  If you want “fair,” visit Puyallup in September.  Different approach, hopefully the same result.  I’ve provided a link to the NRA’s list below, as well as the entire GOAL endorsement list.

    And we have the two initiatives on the ballot.  I’m not going to go into any real detail on either of them.  I-594, the universal background check initiative is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, full of hidden traps and penalties.  That’s why they needed 18 pages to accomplish what the legislature tried to do in HB 1588 in two pages.  I-591 simply restates existing law:  no confiscation of firearms without due process of law (as happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina) and no background checks beyond those mandated by federal law.  Some of my 10th Amendment friends are unhappy with that.  They feel we shouldn’t support federal law, period.  I live in a real world.  And I’m not about to risk five years in Club Fed by violating that law, 10th Amendment or not.  For all practical purposes, the 10th Amendment died about a century ago.

    The outcome of the initiative votes will have a major impact on how the gun business is conducted in Washington, and how gun shows are conducted.  If 594 passes and becomes law, expect to pay a $25-50 FFL fee EVERY TIME you “transfer” a firearm — this includes loans as well as sales.  And when a loan is transferred back.  Plus a use tax nearly equal to the state sales tax.  Yes, I-594 waives sales tax for private transfers, but if you read the fiscal note from the Office of Financial Management, you’ll see that when the sales tax is waived on the transfer of property, a “use tax” in imposed.

    VOTE NO ON 594.    VOTE YES ON 591.   It’s a no-brainer.

    It’s up to you now.  GOAL’s endorsements, and the NRA’s, are simply suggestions: our best judgment of who will best represent your gun rights in D.C. and Olympia.  But the choice is yours.  And please, please, mark your ballot and get it back in the mail ASAP.  Don’t take a chance on misplacing it, or forgetting to get it in on time.  MAIL IT NOW.

     

     

    NRA endorsements can be found at https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/washington/

     

    GOAL ENDORSEMENTS:

     

     

    CONGRESSIONAL RACES

     

    1st        Pedro Celis (R)

    2nd      B. J. Guillot (R)

    3rd       Jaime Herrera Beutler (R)

    4th       Dan Newhouse (R) or

    Clint Didier (R)

    5th       Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)

    6th       Marty McClendon (R)

    7th       Craig Keller (R)

    8th       Dave Reichert (R)

    9th       Doug Basler (R)

    10th     Joyce McDonald (R)

    Supreme Court    1     No recommendation

    3    No recommendation

    4    Charles Johnson

    7    No recommendation

     

    LEGISLATIVE RACES

     

    Dist.     Position           Name

     

    1          House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           Edward Barton (R)

     

    2          House 1           Graham Hunt (R)

    House 2           J. T. Wilcox (R)

     

    3          House 1           Tim Benn (R)

    House 2           Paul Delaney (L)

     

    4          House 1           Bob McCaslin (R)

    House 2           Matt Shea (R)

     

    5          House 1           Jay Rodne (R)

    House 2           Chad Magendanz (R)

     

    6          Senate              Michael Baumgartner (R)

    House 1           Kevin Parker (R)

    House 2           Jeff Holy (R)

     

    7          Senate              Brian Dansel (R)

    House 1           Shelly Short (R)

    House 2           Joel Kretz (R)

     

    8          Senate              Sharon Brown (R)

    House 1           Brad Klippert (R)

    House 2           Larry Haler (R)

     

    9          House 1           Susan Fagan (R)

    House 2           Joe Schmick (R)

     

    10        House 1           Norma Smith (R)

    House 2           Dave Hayes (R)

     

    11        House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           Sarah Sanoy-Wright (R)

     

    12        House 1           Cary Condotta (R)

    House 2           Brad Hawkins (R)

     

    13        Senate              Judith Warnick (R)

    House 1           Tom Dent (R)

    House 2           Matt Manweller (R)

     

    14        House 1           Norm Johnson (R)

    House 2           Gina McCabe (R)

     

    15        Senate              Jim Honeyford (R)

    House 1           Bruce Chandler (R)

    House 2           David Taylor (R)

     

    16        House 1           Maureen Walsh (R)

    House 2           Terry Nealey (R)

     

    17        House 1           Lynda Wilson (R)

    House 2           Paul Harris (R)

    18        House 1           Brandon Vick (R)

    House 2           Liz Pike (R)

     

    19        House 1           Dean Takko (D)

    House 2           Brian Blake (D)

     

    20        House 1           Richard DeBolt (R)

    House 2           Ed Orcutt (R)

     

    21        Senate              Dan Matthews (R)

    House 1           Allen McPheeters (R)

    House 2           Jeff Scherrer (R)

     

    22        House 1           Steve Owens (R)

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    23        House 1           Scott Henden (R)

    House 2           James Olsen (R)

     

    24        House 1           Kevin Van De Wege (D)

    House 2           Thomas Greisamer (R)

     

    25        House 1           Melanie Stambough (R)

    House 2           Hans Zeiger (R)

     

    26        Senate              Jan Angel (R)

    House 1           Jesse Young (R)

    House 2           Michelle Caldier (R)

     

    27        House 1           Rodger Deskins (R)

    House 2           Steven Cook (R)

     

    28        Senate              Steve O’Ban (R)

    House 1           Dick Muri (R)

    House 2           Paul Wagemann (R)

     

    29        Senate              Steve Conway (D)

    House 1           Jason Bergstrom (R)

    House 2           Steve Kirby (D)

     

    30        Senate              Mark Miloscia (R)

    House 1           Linda Kochmar (R)

    House 2           Jack Dovey (R)

     

    31        Senate              Pam Roach (R)

    House 1           Drew Stokesbury (R)

    House 2           Chris Hurst (D) or

    Phil Fortunato (R)

     

    32        Senate              Robert Reedy (R)

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           Alvin Rutledge (R)

     

    33        Senate              Martin Metz (R)

    House 1           Michael Siefkes (R)

    House 2           Jeannette Burrage (R)

     

    34        Senate              No recommendation

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    35        Senate              Tim Sheldon (D)

    House 1           Kathy Haigh (D)

    House 2           Drew MacEwen (R)

     

    36        Senate              Sarina Forbes (R)

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           Paul Addis (L)

     

    37        Senate              No recommendation

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    38        Senate              Craig French (R)

    House 1           Jesse Anderson (R)

    House 2           Elijah Olson (L)

     

    39        House 1           Dan Kristiansen (R)

    House 2           Elizabeth Scott (R)

     

    40        House 1           Daniel Miller (R)

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    41        House 1           Bill Stinson (R)

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    42        Senate              Doug Ericksen (R)

    House 1           Luann VanWerven (R)

    House 2           Vincent Buys (R)

     

    43        Senate              No recommendation

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           No recommendation

     

    44        Senate              Steve Hobbs (D)

    House 1           Rob Toyer (R)

    House 2           Mark Harmsworth (R)

     

    45        Senate              Andy Hill (R)

    House 1           Joel Hussey (R)

    House 2           Brendan Woodward (R)

     

    46        Senate              Van Sperry (R)

    House 1           No recommendation

    House 2           Branden Curtis (R)

     

    47        Senate              Joe Fain (R)

    House 1           Mark Hargrove (R)

    House 2           Pat Sullivan (D)

     

    48        Senate              Michelle Darnell (R)

    House 1           Bill Hirt (R)

    House 2           Tim Turner (L)

     

    49        House 1           Anson Service (R)

    House 2           Lisa Ross (R)

     

     

     

    —
    I-594 background checks: another gun control panacea that in reality is nothing more than a feel-good placebo.

  • 2014 PRIMARY ELECTION RECOMMENDATION LIST

    2014 PRIMARY ELECTION RECOMMENDATION LIST

    Gun Owners Action League

    U.S. CONGRESSIONAL RACES

    1st Congressional District Robert Sutherland (R)

    2nd Congressional District No recommendation

    3rd Congressional District Jaime Herrera Beutler (R)

    4th Congressional District Dan Newhouse (R)

    5th Congressional District Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)

    6th Congressional District Marty McClendon (R)

    7th Congressional District No recommendation

    8th Congressional District Dave Reichert (R)

    9th Congressional District No recommendation

    10th Congressional District Joyce McDonald (R)

    Supreme Court

    1 No recommendation

    3 No recommendation

    4 Charles Johnson

    7 No recommendation

    WA LEGISLATIVE RACES

    1st Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No Recommendation
    Position 2 Edward Barton (R)

    2nd Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Graham Hunt (R)
    Position 2 J.T. Wilcox (R)

    3rd Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Randy McGlenn, II (L)
    Position 2 Paul Delaney (L)

    4th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Bob McCaslin (R)
    Position 2 Matt Shea (R)

    5th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Jay Rodne (R)
    Position 2 Chad Magendanz (R)

    6th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Michael Baumgartner (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Kevin Parker (R)
    Position 2 Jeff Holy (R)

    7th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Brian Dansel (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Shelly Short (R)
    Position 2 Joel Kretz (R)*

    8th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Sharon Brown (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Brad Klippert (R)
    Position 2 Larry Haler (R)

    9th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Susan Fagan (R)
    Position 2 Joe Schmick (R)

    10th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Norma Smith (R)
    Position 2 Dave Hayes (R)*

    11th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 Sarah Sanoy-Wright (R)*

    12th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Cary Condotta (R)*
    Position 2 Brad Hawkins (R)*

    13th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Judith Warnick (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Tom Dent (R)*
    Position 2 Matt Manweller (R)

    14th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Norm Johnson (R)*
    Position 2 No recommendation

    15th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Jim Honeyford (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Bruce Chandler (R)*
    Position 2 David Taylor (R)*

    16th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Maureen Walsh (R)
    Position 2 Terry Nealey (R)*

    17th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Lynda Wilson (R)
    Position 2 Paul Harris (R)

    18th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Brandon Vick (R)
    Position 2 Liz Pike (R)*

    19th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Dean Takko (D)*
    Position 2 Brian Blake (D)*

    20th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Richard DeBolt (R)*
    Position 2 Ed Orcutt (R)*

    21st Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Dan Matthews (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Allen McPheeters (R)
    Position 2 Jeff Scherrer (R)

    22nd Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Steve Owens (R)
    Position 2 No recommendation

    23rd Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Scott Henden (R)*
    Position 2 James Olsen (R)*

    24th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Kevin Van De Wege (D)*
    Position 2 Thomas Greisamer (R)*

    25th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Melanie Stambough (R)
    Position 2 Hans Zeiger (R)

    26th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Jan Angel (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Jesse Young (R)
    Position 2 Michelle Caldier (R)

    27th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Rodger Deskins (R)*
    Position 2 Steven Cook (R)

    28th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Steve O’Ban (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Dick Muri (R)
    Position 2 Paul Wagemann (R)

    29th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Steve Conway (D)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 Steve Kirby (D)*

    30th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Mark Miloscia (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Linda Kochmar (R)
    Position 2 Jack Dovey (R)

    31st Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Pam Roach (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Drew Stokesbury (R)
    Position 2 Chris Hurst (D)

    32nd Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Robert Reedy (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 Alvin Rutledge (R)*

    33rd Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Martin Metz (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Michael Siefkes (R)*
    Position 2 Jeannette Burrage (R)

    34th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator No recommendation

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 No recommendation

    35th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Tim Sheldon (D)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Kathy Haigh (D)
    Position 2 Drew MacEwen (R)

    36th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Sarina Forbes (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 Paul Addis (L)

    37th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Rowland Martin (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 No recommendation

    38th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Craig French (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Jesse Anderson (R)
    Position 2 Elijah Olson (L)

    39th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Dan Kristiamsem (R)
    Position 2 Elizabeth Scott (R)

    40th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Daniel Miller (R)*
    Position 2 No recommendation

    41st Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Bill Stinson (R)
    Position 2 No recommendation

    42nd Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Doug Ericksen (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 Vincent Buys (R)

    43 Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator No recommendation

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 No recommendation
    Position 2 No recommendation

    44th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Steve Hobbs (D)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Rob Toyer (R)
    Position 2 Mark Harmsworth (R)

    45th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Andy Hill (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Joel Hussey (R)
    Position 2 No recommendation

    46th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Van Sperry (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Bob Guthrie (R)*
    Position 2 Branden Curtis (R)*

    47th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Joe Fain (R)

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Mark Hargrove (R)
    Position 2 Barry Knowles (R)

    48th Legislative District

    Washington State Senate
    Senator Michelle Darnell (R)*

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Bill Hirt (R)*
    Position 2 Tim Turner (L)

    49th Legislative District

    Washington State House of Representatives
    Position 1 Anson Service (R)
    Position 2 Lisa Ross (R)

    *No campaign website found. Website will be added upon notification.

    Credits to Google, Project Vote Smart as sources of campaign websites. Collation & Analysis by Joe Waldron.

    Subject to change or modification until August 5, 2014.

  • GOAL Post 2014-10

    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

  • GOAL Post 2014-9

    GOAL Post                                                                                             2014-9
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                               7 March 2014

    SECOND CHAMBER CUT-OFF

    LIFE AFTER DEATH

    CONCURRENCE OR CONFERENCE COMMITTEE?

    LAST WEEK

    The second chamber cut-off passed at 5 p.m. this afternoon.  Bills that had not passed out of the second chamber are theoretically dead for the session (see the next item).  It appears SB 6025 (body-armor) died, while four total bills passed out of the House and Senate (two each).  Two are on their way to Governor Inslee, two are headed for a concurrence vote or conference committee (see below).

    Last week I reported that SB 5956 (short-barreled rifles) had died in Committee.  But as I noted earlier, dead doesn’t mean dead.  In an unusual move, yesterday the entire House voted to pull the bill away from the House Judiciary Committee and brought to the floor, where it was voted 95-3.  The bill now goes to Governor Inslee for his signature… or veto.   Congressman Inslee had a dismal record on guns.  Now we’ll see what Governor Inslee does.  The bill passed with only three dissenting votes out of 147, so it obviously had strong support — and a veto-proof majority.

    If a bill is amended in the second chamber before passing out (House bill in the Senate or Senate bill in the House), it has to go back to the originating chamber for a concurrence vote on the amended bill.  If they concur, the bill goes to the governor.  If the original chamber does not concur, it is sent to a conference committee (made up of Senators and Representatives) where they will try to reach compromise language.  If a compromise is adopted, it goes back to both chambers for an up or down vote.

    Two of the bills still under consideration passed their second chamber in amended form, and now await concurrence/conference.  These bills are marked “con” in the Bill Status section.

    Next week is the final week of the regular session.  Per the state constitution, the fat lady will sing some time Thursday evening, and the legislators will go home, hopefully until next January.  The supplemental budget was passed, so at this point it does not appear a special session will be necessary.  But it’s a long time until January 2015!

    I’ll be publishing at least one more GOAL Post for the session, a wrap-up.  With both I-591 and I-594 going to the electorate in November, I’m sure I’ll be posting additional GOAL Updates for the remainder of the year, probably bi-monthly or monthly.  This is an election year, so GOAL will also be posting a list of candidates we are supporting.. or opposing.

    BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:

    The following bills remain under consideration in the 2014 session:

    Bill #

    Subject

    Sponsor

    Status

    GOAL Position
    *HB 1840 Firearms/restraining orders Goodman (D-45) Passed to Governor Neutral
    *HB 2164 Juvenile firearm possession Orwall (D-33) Passed to Con Support
    SB 5956 Short-barreled rifles Hatfield (D-19) Passed to Gov Support
    SB 6025 Use of Body Armor O’ban (R-28) Died H. Approp. Neutral
    SB 6199 Addressing wildfires caused by incendiary devices. Braun (R-20)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 Passed Con Support
    I-591 Protect Gun Rights H. Jud & Senate L&J Support
    I-594 Universal background checks/registration H. Jud & Senate L&J 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

    Support the I-591 campaign! Donate now at: www.wagunrights.org

  • GOAL Post 2014-8

    GOAL Post                                                                                             2014-8
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                               28 February 2014

    SECOND CHAMBER POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF

    BILLS MOVE, BILLS DIE

    SECOND CHAMBER CUT-OFF NEXT FRIDAY

    NO ACTION ON INITIATIVES

    SESSION ENDS IN TWO WEEKS

    UKRAINIAN GUN OWNERS SPEAK OUT

    Today marks the second chamber policy committee cut-off, the day when all bills must pass out of the policy committee in the opposite chamber or be considered dead for the session.   Of the five bills still under consideration at the beginning of the week, four moved on to the next step and one — SB 5956 (short-barreled rifles) — died in committee.   See “Bill Status” for the current location of each bill.

    Next Friday is the second chamber cut-off, the day by which all House bills must come out of the Senate and Senate bills out of the House.  The final week of the legislature is devoted to reconciling conference bills (differing versions passed by the House and Senate) and initiatives.

    The legislature has until the last day of the session to take action on any Initiatives to the Legislature presented at the beginning of the session.  Both I-591 and I-594 remain in their respective committees, where they will likely ride out the session.

    2014 has a short legislative session — 60 days.  The session must end by midnight, Thursday, 13 March.

    As tension in the Ukraine increases, this was posted on the home page of the Ukrainian Gun Owners Association late last week :

    “Today every citizen of Ukraine understands why our country has hundreds of thousands of policemen.  Last illusions were crushed when riot police used rubber batons and boots at the Independence Square on peaceful citizens.

    “After such actions we realize that it is not enough to only adopt the Gun Law.  As of today Ukrainian Gun Owners Association will start to work on the preparation of amendments to the Constitution, which will provide an unconditional right for Ukrainian citizens to bear arms.       People should have the right to bear arms, which will be put in written into the Constitution.

    “Authorities should not and will not be stronger than its people!

    “Armed people are treated with respect!”

    http://zbroya.info/en/blog/2650_ukrainian-gun-owners-associations-official-statement/

    And NOW you know why some people in this country would like to repeal the Second Amendment.  Obsolete?  Outdated?  An anachronism?    NEVER!

    Bill #

    Subject

    Sponsor

    Status

    GOAL Position
    *HB 1840 Firearms/restraining orders Goodman (D-45) S. L&J Neutral
    *HB 2164 Juvenile firearm possession Orwall (D-33) S. HS &C Support
    SB 5956 Short-barreled rifles Hatfield (D-19) Died
    H. Jud.    		 Support
    SB 6025 Use of Body Armor O’ban (R-28) H. Pub Safety Neutral
    SB 6199 Addressing wildfires caused by incendiary devices. Braun (R-20)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 H. Ag. Support
    I-591 Protect Gun Rights H. Jud & Senate L&J Support
    I-594 Universal background checks/registration H. Jud & Senate L&J 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

  • GOAL Post 2014-7

    GOAL Post                                                                                             2014-7
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                               21 February 2014

    CHAMBER CUT-OFF PASSES; BILLS DIE

    TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

    NEXT HURDLE NEXT FRIDAY

    DEAD BILLS DELETED FROM “BILL STATUS” LIST

    BACKGROUND CHECKS USED FOR CONFISCATION?

    Tuesday, 18 February was chamber cut-off day, the day when all House bills must move out of the House or die, and all Senate Bills out of the Senate (with a limited exception for fiscal/budget bills).  Then the whole process starts over again, with House bills in the Senate and Senate bills in the House.  The number of bills to be processed has shrunk significantly, though.  Only those bills that passed out of their original chamber will be considered in the other.  Of the nearly three thousand bills filed over the biennium, only a few hundred remain in play.  And from 46 gun bills, we’re down to five.    Legislators have until next Friday to pass bills from the opposite chamber out of their policy committee.  The train is moving pretty fast now, but it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings.

    A couple of bills that passed their original chamber were quickly scheduled for a public hearing that I missed on the weekly round-up.  At this point, two of the five remaining bills is scheduled for a public hearing next week:  SB 5956 (short-barreled rifles) in House Judiciary and HB 1840 (restraining orders), in Senate Law & Justice, both on Wednesday, 26 February.  HB 2164 (juvenile firearm possession), and SBs 6025 (use of body armor) and 6199 (incendiary devices) had public hearings yesterday or today, and will be voted on in committee next week.

    Next cut-off:  second chamber policy committee, next Friday, 28 February.

    As I reported previously, I’ve cleaned up the “Bill Status” section to reflect only those bills still under consideration.   To paraphrase Matthew 22:14,  For many are filed, but few are chosen.  Typically in a biennium, three to four thousand bills are filed.  Most of these never even get a hearing.  Some of these are “hero” bills, bills that make the individual sponsoring the bill look good in the home district, or to keep a promise to a constituent or a group.  Others are bills with good policy ideas, but are not in line with what leadership wants, or what the party in power likes (many good gun bills fall in this category).  Bills with good policy ideas that have consensus across party lines are typically the bills that move.  This is true at both the state and federal levels.  Congress is much the same, although with 535 total members, more bills get filed!  And most go nowhere.

    A little drama is underway in Connecticut right now regarding newly-banned “assault weapons.”  Under the new law, sales or transfers are banned, but individuals who already own such firearms are grandfathered and allowed to keep them — PROVIDED they register them with the state.  The registration date passed with very limited compliance, so the Hartford Courant, Connecticut’s newspaper of record, opined that the state has a crisis on its hands that can only be met with confiscation of the firearms in question.  And they suggest “Authorities should use the background check database as a way to find assault weapon purchasers who might not have registered those guns in compliance with the new law.“  (The editorial closes with, “If you want to disobey the law, you should be prepared to face the consequences.”  And what about those, including elected officials, who choose to disobey the Constitution?)

    I’ve already heard from gun owners who have no problem with background checks, and who characterize linkage between background checks and gun confiscation as irresponsible scare-mongering.  I myself am not particularly concerned about background checks… in and of themselves.  I’ve held the highest security clearances, hold concealed carry licenses from five states…   I’ve even offered legislators ways to conduct background checks WITH NO RECORD KEEPING (they rejected it, as I knew they would).  It’s about what ELSE might be done with the records created, especially with federally mandated dealers’ records.

    Bill #

    Subject

    Sponsor

    Status

    GOAL Position
    *HB 1840 Firearms/restraining orders Goodman (D-45) S. L&J Neutral
    *HB 2164 Juvenile firearm possession Orwall (D-33) S. HS &C Support
    *HB 2459 Ensuring Hunter Safety Blake (D-19) Died H. Rules Support
    SSB 5452 Stalking protection orders Conway (D-29) Died S. Rules Concerns
    SB 5956 Short-barreled rifles Hatfield (D-19) H. Jud. Support
    SB 6025 Use of Body Armor O’ban (R-28) H. Pub Safety Neutral
    SB 6199 Addressing wildfires caused by incendiary devices. Braun (R-20)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 H. Ag. Support
    SB 6245 Surrender of CPL. Dansel (R-7)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 Died
    S. Rules    		 Neutral
    SB 6281 Ensuring an effective hunter education program Roach (R-31)
    Pedersen (D-43)    		 Died
    S. Rules    		 Support
    *SB 6416 Delivery to Peace Officers Hatfield(D-19) Died
    S. Rules    		 Support
    I-591 Protect Gun Rights H. Jud & Senate L&J Support
    I-594 Universal background checks/registration H. Jud & Senate L&J 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:

    26 Feb
    3:30 p.m.    		 SB 5956 House Judiciary Committee
    House Hearing Room “A”
    John L. O’Brien House Office Building
    26 Feb
    6:30 p.m.    		 HB 1840 Senate Law & Justice Committee
    Senate Hearing Room 1
    John A. Cherberg Senate Office Bldg

    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 m ay 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 February

    Puyallup 22-23 March

    “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

  • GOAL Post 2014-6

    GOAL Post                                                                                             2014-6
    Legislative Update from Olympia                                                               14 February 2014

    FIRST FISCAL CUT-OFF PASSES

    BILLS DIE, BILLS MOVE

    CHAMBER CUT-OFF NEXT TUESDAY

    INITIATIVES DORMANT IN COMMITTEE

    GOVERNOR DECLARES MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS

    Bills requiring fiscal/appropriations action are given a few more days to pass out of those committees.  That cut-off passed earlier this week.  A few more bills died at that time.

    A few bills changed status over the past week.  HBs 1840 (restraining orders/guns) and 2164 (juvenile firearms/counseling) passed out of the House and now sit in Senate Law & Justice awaiting action.  The GOAL position on HB 1840 changed from OPPOSE to NEUTRAL after an NRA-approved amendment was adopted to limit its impact.  HB 2459 (hunter safety) and SB 6416 (delivery to LEOs) passed out of committee to House and Senate Rules, respectively, awaiting a vote of the full chamber.

    Reminder:  next week I’ll drop off the Bill Status list all of the bills that died over the past two cut-off dates.  That will cut the list down to a manageable number and not distract you with bills no longer in play.

    Next Tuesday, 18 February, is the chamber cut-off.  All House bills must pass out of the House, Senate bills out of the Senate, to remain under consideration.  Exceptions are allowed, especially for fiscal bills.

    Both Initiatives 591 (pro-gun) and 594 (anti-gun) remain in the House Judiciary and Senate Law & Justice Committees, where they will likely remain for the remainder of the session — then automatically go on to the public in the November general election.     http://wagunrights.org/

    Earlier this week, Governor Inslee announced a moratorium on carrying out the death sentence on the small number of inmates on Washington’s death row.  Inslee claims he has reservations about the criminal justice system.  It is fully within his authority as governor to sign execution warrants or decline to do so.  The question to be asked is, is this a belief he has held for some time.  He swore an oath as governor to “faithfully execute the laws of the state.”  That includes signing death warrants.

    I doubt if the governor’s “reservations” developed overnight.  In that case, it should have been brought up during the campaign.  I also note that the governor declined to consult with most County Prosecutors before making this decision.  If he thought the state’s criminal justice system was broken, maybe he should have run for Attorney General rather than Governor.   The way he did it looks like simple pandering to his liberal base.

    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 juvenile unlawful possession 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
    HB 1561 Short barreled rifles Blake (D-19) Died H. Jud Support
    SHB 1588 Background checks Pedersen (D-43) Died H. Jud Oppose
    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. Rules Support
    *HB 1840 Firearms/restraining orders Goodman (D-45) S. L&J Neutral
    HB 1908 Firearms on school property Scott (R-39) Died H. Jud Support
    HB 2020 Firearms-related jobs Shea (R-4) Died H. Jud Support
    *HB 2164 Juvenile firearm possession Orwall (D-33) S. L&J Support
    HB 2324 Use of Force. Shea (R-4) Died H. Jud Support
    *HB 2459 Ensuring Hunter Safety Blake (D-19) H. Rules Support
    HB 2475 Making state law consistent with federal law regarding short-barreled shotguns and
    short-barreled rifles.    		 Overstreet (R-42) Died H. Jud. Support
    HB 2502 Delivery to Peace Officers. Klippert (R-8) Died H. Jud Support
    HB 2529 Concerning a sales tax exemption for firearms and firearm ammunition to encourage
    the purchase within the borders of Washington state.    		 Overstreet (R-42) Died
    H. Finance.    		 Support
    HB 2551 Protecting the constitutionally guaranteed right to the lawful possession of firearms during an emergency Overstreet (R-42) Died H. Jud. Support
    HB 2664 Defense against animals Taylor(R-15) Died
    H. Jud.    		 Support
    SB 5376 Juvenile illegal firearm possession Kline (D-37) Died
    S. W&M    		 Concerns
    SSB 5452 Stalking protection orders Conway (D-29) S. 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 Kline (D-37) 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) S. L&J Support
    SB 6025 Use of Body Armor O’ban (R-28) S. L&J Neutral
    SB 6039 Ensuring Hunter Safety Pearson (R-39) S. W&M Support
    SB 6066 Restoration of Rights Honeyford (R-15) Died S. L&J Support
    SB 6198 Protecting Sport Shooting Ranges. Roach (R-31)
    Hargrove
    (D-24)    		 Died S. L&J Support
    SB 6199 Addressing wildfires caused by incendiary devices. Braun (R-20)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 S. Rules Support
    SB 6245 Surrender of CPL. Dansel (R-7)
    Hargrove (D-24)    		 S. Rules Concerns
    SB 6281 Ensuring an effective hunter education program Roach (R-31)
    Pedersen (D-43)    		 S. Rules Support
    *SB 6416 Delivery to Peace Officers Hatfield(D-19) S. Rules Support
    I-591 Protect Gun Rights H. Jud & Senate L&J Support
    I-594 Universal background checks/registration H. Jud & Senate L&J Oppose

    Key to abbreviations: S. = Senate, H. = House, Ag/NatRes = Agriculture/Natural Resources, Fin = Finance, Jud = Judiciary, K-12 = Education, L&J = Law & Justice, NatRes = Natural Resources & Parks, Trans = Transportation, 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):

    Monroe 15-16 February

    Puyallup 22-23 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 2014 Gun Owners Action League of WA