Four gun control bills still alive in Washington state

Students are seeking answers and support from lawmakers across the U.S. in response to last week’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

From his golf club on Monday, President Trump offered support for a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases. Meanwhile, in Washington state, three pieces of legislation missed an important deadline. The National Rifle Association is asking members to fully support another bill before the legislative session ends in March.

How Washington lawmakers voted: Bump stock ban

–Substitute House Bill 1122 “addresses community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the first and second degree.” It would require firearms dealers to offer to sell or give the buyer a locked box, a lock, or a device that prevents the firearm from discharging. The second substitute didn’t make it to the floor to be heard.

–House Bill 1483 would allow the Washington State Patrol the option to destroy confiscated or forfeited firearms rather than sell them. That bill didn’t make it to the floor to be heard. The Associated Press recently found more than a dozen firearms sold by law enforcement agencies in Washington state since 2010 later became evidence in new criminal investigations.  Read more. 

–Substitute Senate Bill 5441 imposes a six-month firearm prohibition on someone who has been detained at a facility for a 72-hour evaluation and treatment on the grounds that the person presents a likelihood of serious harm, but who has not been subsequently committed for involuntary treatment. The substitute bill didn’t make it to the floor to be heard

February 14 was the deadline for bills to be voted out of the house where they originated.

Still on the list are:

–Senate Bill 6298 would include the crime of “harassment” to domestic violence convictions for which a person is prohibited from possessing a firearm. SB 6298 passed the Senate floor with a 34-13 vote and has been scheduled for a public hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

–Senate Bill 5992 would ban trigger devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire more rapidly. Original legislation was amended to define the modifications as bump-fire stocks.  SB 5992 passed the House Judiciary Committee last Thursday with a 10-3 vote. It awaits a floor vote.

—Senate Bill 5553 is aimed at preventing suicide. It allows someone to voluntarily waive their rights to firearms when they’re in crisis or having thoughts of suicide. It also creates a process to revoke the waiver and have their right to buy or own a firearm reinstated so long as seven days have passed since they initially waived their rights. The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.

–House Bill 2519 allows a person who is under 21 years of age and at least 18 years of age, to possess a concealed pistol license, if the person is an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, a member of the national guard or the reserves of the armed forces of the United States, or an honorably discharged veteran. HB 2519 passed the House with a 94-4 vote and has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Monday at 10 a.m.

The NRA called for full support of HB 2519 via its website:

“Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee to oppose SB 6298, your state Representative to oppose SB 5992, and members of the Senate Law and Justice Committee to SUPPORT HB 2519 with the Irwin Amendment!”

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