Stack 'em deep (Updates 2)

 

High Standard-capacity ammo magazines will be banned in Washington state starting July 1

By Associated Press - Monday, June 20, 2022

EVERETT, Wash. — Starting July 1, the sale of ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds will be banned in Washington state. Importing, manufacturing and distributing them will be outlawed, too.

The only magazines allowed for sale and importing will be those with a maximum capacity of 10 cartridges under a measure pushed through by Democrats and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year, the Everett Herald reported.

Washington residents can continue buying larger magazines until the law takes effect. Any owned as of July 1 are unaffected by the law.

The Second Amendment Foundation and other gun rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit this month claiming the new law violates constitutional protections under the Second and Fourteenth amendments. They’ve sought to block the law with an injunction but no hearing had been set as of Friday.

Yes, I made an editorial correction to the title of the article.  

In the meantime, here are a couple of sources to help:

• Brownell's Mag Dump for WA. $2.00 from the sale of each of these mags will go to fund the second Amendment Foundation's legal challenge to this ban.
• Aero Precision 2AF Standard Capacity mags. "The net proceeds from each of these magazines sold will go directly to the Second Amendment Foundation to help fund legal action to defeat this unconstitutional bill."

UPDATE: The 98-double-ought-3 fishwrap ran an article about this, that not only quoted Dave Workman and Alan Gottlieb, but the web article LINKED to the Aero Precision mag sale above!

UPDATE 2: Rainier Arms is advertising free ground shipping on mags shipped to Washington State. (Which is great if you live more than 20 minutes from the sales store, unlike me...) (Then again, with the price of gasoline... )

Did NOT see this one coming!

DHS Says Firearms Retailers, Manufacturers ARE ‘Essential Businesses’: BREAKING NEWS

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Under the Trump Administration's guidance, the Department of Homeland Security has declared firearms manufacturers and retailers “essential businesses,” possibly driving a spike through the heart of various state and local “emergency powers” declarations that had classified gun stores to be “non-essential” during the current Coronavirus panic, and had ordered them closed.

The reference to gun shops is found in a document released Saturday titled “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce,” in the section dealing with “Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Other First Responders.”

The document released by DHS simply says that “Workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges” are considered essential.

Article quoted from Ammoland.com, emphasis in original.

GOAL Post 2020-10 & Final

Up at this link, also linked over on the right side of the screen.

As usual, most bills did not make it to the governor's desk.

The bills that passed are HB 2467 (centralized firearm background checks), HB 2555 (background checks for receivers), HB 2622 (firearm surrender on court orders), SB 5434 (day care centers gun free zones) and SB 6288 (Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention).

HB 2467 could be good or bad. 17 other states now conduct all or partial firearm background checks, and most seem to work smoothly (ATF calls them “point of contact” states. The biggest issue here is the $18 authorized for every check. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which conducts all background checks in that state, does it for $5 – more than today’s free FFL:NICS check but much less than $18. HB 2555 essentially mimics federal law – a receiver/frame is already a firearm under federal law. SB 5434, extending gun free zones to day care centers is overreach, but it does allow licensed carry under certain circumstances. And the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention is long on “firearm” and likely nonexistent on “safety” or “violence prevention” – unless our side gets active and seeks grants for safety education and criminology studies to identify who and where the violence is being committed (don’t hold your breath on that one – the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report has been telling you exactly who the “who” is for decades, and it has been ignored just as long).

The ban on standard capacity magazines died when the Republican delegation filed over 100 amendments.

Unfortunately, the repeal of the ban on "assisted opening" knives also did not pass.

Joe makes a point of naming the pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment, pro-freedom Democrats in  the state legislature:

One last point: we DO have some Democrat friends in Olympia. Senators Tim Sheldon, Dean Takko, Steve Hobbs and Kevin Van Dew Wege and Representatives Brian Blake, Mari Leavitt and Dave Paul. They have clearly demonstrated their loyalty to their oath of office despite caucus pressure in the other direction. Remember them in August for the primary and again in November.

GOAL Post 2020-8 is up

GOAL Post 2020-8, Legislative Update from Olympia 28 February 2020 - Gun Owners Action League of Washington

I haven't been posting these, since they are now regularly posted to that web site, and let's face it, I haven't been posting much at all.

Legislative season is almost over, although with the clown show Olympia has become it is no longer accurate to suggest that our money or freedom are safe if the legislature is not in session. We're talking about a state where the state tried to sue the voters for an initiative we passed, after all.

Berthold Brecht would have been right at home here.

Anyway. It sounds like most of the bills are dead, although, as Joe points out, these clowns are always willing to pull a Miracle Max on bills that should have died...

Plus there's always the possibility that Steyer and Bloomberg will finance another corrupt initiative to back an even worse law.

One good bill remains, that would remove the restriction on spring-assisted knives. I have a lot of respect for the late Glenn Ford, Capt. USNR (RET), but The Blackboard Jungle resulted in silly restrictions on knives you can open with one hand, which sounds like a minor inconvenience until you need both hands to do a job, and a third to access the tool you need to do it. ("No shit, there I was, 30 feet up a ladder...")

The majority of the rest of the remaining gun-related bills should die in a fire.

WA GOAL ALERT 2019-1

Washington State Legislative ALERT!!! Olympia is consider a bill to release the names of all that turned their bump stocks in. 

Whatever you think about bump stocks, this is an outrageous violation of privacy. 

 Joe's Alert message below has been edited slightly for some typos and punctuation. 

****

FROM: GOAL-WA (Joe Waldron) [email protected]

TO: undisclosed recipients

SENT: Wed 4/24/2019 2:25 AM

SUBJECT: GOAL Alert 2019-124 April 2019

Legislative Alert from Olympia

Last week we reported that a public records request had been submitted to the Washington State Patrol asking for the names and addresses of all of the individuals who turned in “bump stocks” and were compensated by the state. Under the current Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), this information MUST be released.

An emergency bill has been filed in Olympia to block this action for purposes of public safety. The bill is HB 2182, was filed by:

Representatives Shea <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#shea>,

Klippert <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#klippert>,

Boehnke <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#boehnke>,

Kretz <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#kretz>,

Dufault <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#dufault>,

Walsh <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#walsh>,

Orcutt <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#orcutt>,

Young <http://leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx#young>.

More than 25 years ago the Washington legislature followed the lead of several other states and restricted access to public records concerning concealed pistol licenses. Why give burglars a heads up of where to go “shopping,” or anti-gun activists the opportunity to publish lists of CPL holders as some have done in other states?

Bill text can be found

here: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2182.pdf

Again, a reasonable assumption can be made if an individual had a bump stock, he or she also possesses a firearm suitable for use with such a device. For those liberals who think this is a reasonable measure, ask them how they would feel about a public records release of the names of all women who received an abortion using public funding as is done in Washington under MEDICAID. Try that and watch the liberal rockets being fired!

YOU MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TODAY IF THIS BILL IS TO MOVE. Again, the bill is HB 2182.It is imperative you contact YOUR state legislators today and ask them to support the bill. Your legislator is a liberal? Use the abortion example I cited above as an argument.

Contact information for your legislators may be found at https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder. When you insert your address, a box will pop up with links to your state Senator and two state Representatives. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and look in the “blue” Government pages in your telephone directory.

Timing is critical. One report indicates the WSP intends to release the information as early as tomorrow, Friday, even before the mandatory release deadline.

Will Democrat leadership in both the House and Senate act, and will Governor Inslee sign an emergency bill?

 

GOAL Post 2019-13

Joe sent out the latest GOAL Post but says he is having ISP issues, and it has not been posted to the GOAL web site, so I'll go ahead with it here. 

Usual thing, slight editing for formatting, no change in text.

So, while there has been good news, it is not all good news, we may be getting a "Red Flag" law, which would make it oh, so easy for a angry ex- or spiteful neighbor to use a phone to deprive you of your rights.

****

FROM: GOAL WA

TO: Undisclosed recipients

SENT: Fri 4/5/2019 2:39 PM

SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2019-13

Legislative Update from Olympia 5 April 2019

• POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF; BILLS MOVE, BILLS DIE
• ACTION SHIFTS ONCE AGAIN TO CHAMBER FLOORS
• 17 APRIL CHAMBER CUT-OFF, 28 APRIL SINE DIE

 The legislature is moving into the final leg of its 105 day/15 week regular session.  Just over three weeks left.  The primary focus of the long session in odd-numbered years is supposed to be development and adoption of the biennial budget, Whether a budget agreement will be reached or a special session will be called is hard to say right now.  Both the House and Senate have passed budget bills, but the bills are $750 MILLION apart – in new spending only!  The overall biennial budget runs over $52 BILLION.  Now to guns…

The second chamber policy committee cut-off occurred two days ago.  A few more gun bills died, others moved forward.  Unless there is a dispute between the House and Senate versions of a bill, it must clear the legislature with a floor vote by April 17^th.  Bills in dispute have until the last day, 28 April.

SB 5434 (expanded gun free zones) died in House Civil Right & Judiciary. 

SBs 5027 (extreme risk protection order, under 18) and 5508 (WSP background checks for CPLs) both passed the Senate with amendments.  Both now go to a concurrence vote or a conference committee.  

HB 1949 (single POC/firearm background checks) passed out of the Senate.  It, too goes to a concurrence vote or a conference committee.

SBs 5205 and 5782 are in House Rules awaiting a floor vote.

SB 5181 still sits in House Appropriations awaiting a committee vote.

Both HBs 1225 and 1934 passed out of committee and sit in Senate Rules awaiting a floor vote.

BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:

GOAL Post 2019-10

The new GOAL Post is out, and has arrived in email but is not yet posted at the Gun Owners Action League of Washington web site. Since this has some significant info in it -- and ties in with my previous post -- I'll revert to my past practice of reproducing the entire thing here, with minor editing for formatting.

***

FROM: GOAL WA [email protected] (Joe Waldron)

TO: undisclosed recipients

SENT: Fri 3/15/2019 2:14 PM

SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2019-10

Legislative Update from Olympia 15 March 2019

• SB 5954 PASSES LEGISLATURE
• CHAMBER CUT-OFF/TURNOVER DAY
• BILLS LIVE – BILLS DIE
• PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

In an unusual move, SB 5954 (bump stock buyback funding) passed out of the Senate on 28 February, was fast-tracked through the House on March 11th  where it was amended, so it went back to the Senate, who concurred in the House amendment.  It’s on its way to the Governor.

Of the 23 bills that survived the original chamber policy committee cut-off, only 13 made it through the second cut by passing out of their chamber of origin.  House bills moving to the Senate include HBs 1225 (firearms/DV), 1465 (handgun delivery w/CPL), 1739 (undetectable/untraceable firearms – the Senate version died), 1786 (protective orders/firearms), 1934 (military CPL renewal by mail) and 1949 (single point of contact for background checks).

Senate bills moving to the House include SBs 5027 (underage extreme risk protection orders), 5181 (firearms/Mental health), 5205 (firearms/incompetent for trial), 5434 (new/expanded gun free zones), 5508 (WSP background checks for CPLs) and 5782 (spring-blade knives).  I mentioned SB 5954 above.

Bills that died include HB 1010 (WSP destruction of forfeited firearms), 1068 (high capacity magazine ban), 1381 (UAVs/contraband delivery), 5016 (arming animal control officers), 5061 (undetectable/untraceable firearms), 5062 (high capacity magazine ban), 5099 (target shooting on DNR land), 5143 (firearms/DV incidents). 5150 (college safety officers/weapons) and 5174 (CPL training).

Note BOTH “high capacity magazine” bills (HB 1068, SSB 5062) died, as did the mandatory training requirement for a CPL (SSB 5174).  

There is a public hearing scheduled for HB 1949 (single POC for background checks) in Senate Law & Justice at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, 18 March.  Public hearings scheduled for SB 5508  (WSP background check) in House Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19.  For SB 5181 (firearms/mental health) in House Civil Rights & Judiciary at 9 a.m. on March 20.  For SB 5782 (spring assisted knives) in House Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10 a.m. on March 22.

If you are tracking a specific bill, you might want to check the bill’s page on “Bill Information” to ensure a hearing was not added later.

(I added a note below in “Other data.”  The same bill information page for each bill that tells you where/how to get copies of bills and bill reports also mentions public hearings are available on TV Washington, both live and archived.  Links to airings are available at the very bottom of the bill page – no need to search the archives.)

{Continued after the jump -- DWD}

Good News/Bad News

NRA-ILA | Washington: Gun Ban Bills Fail Crossover Deadline

Today, March 13th at 5:00PM, was the cutoff deadline for all bills to be voted out of the chamber in which they originated. Having failed to receive a floor vote, the following bills are likely dead for this year.

The Substitute to Senate Bill 5062, sponsored by Senator Patty Kuderer (D-48), and House Bill 1068, sponsored by Representative Javier Valdez (D-46), were filed at the request of Attorney General Bob Ferguson. SB 5062 would have banned the possession of ammunition magazines with a capacity greater than 10 and HB 1068 would have banned those greater than 15. They would have encompassed the standard capacity magazines for many handguns and rifles commonly owned by law-abiding citizens for self-defense. SB 5062 would have required that those who owned non-compliant magazines prior to the ban would only be allowed to possess them on their own property and in other limited instances such as at licensed shooting ranges and nationally sanctioned sport shooting events. These magazines would have had to be transported unloaded and locked separately from firearms and stored at home locked, making them unavailable for self-defense.

Senate Bill 5174, sponsored by Senator Guy Palumbo (D-1), would have increased the time, cost, and government red tape that law-abiding adults must go through in order to obtain a Concealed Pistol License by requiring a mandatory training course that meets arbitrary standards. Adding additional barriers to law-abiding citizens who wish to exercise a constitutional right would not improve public safety. Concealed carry permit holders have consistently demonstrated themselves to be one of the most law-abiding segments of the population in Washington and across the country. Hindering them from being able to defend themselves and their families would not affect criminals who do not obey the law.

Senate Bill 5745, sponsored by Senator Marko Liias (D-21), would have expanded Washington’s existing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) to allow Second Amendment rights to be suspended for individuals alleged to make certain threats by third party accusers with little, if any, real evidence and limited “due process” for the respondent. Hearings for the orders would have been ex parte, where the respondent would not have been present to challenge the accuser and defend against allegations made against them. The issuance of an order would have immediately prohibited the respondent from exercising their Second Amendment rights. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms should not be treated as a second-class right and should only be restricted consistent with the constitutional requirements of due process.

House Bill 1010, sponsored by Representative Tana Senn (D-41), would have allowed the Washington State Patrol to destroy forfeited firearms rather than raise funds by selling them to licensed firearm dealers.

However, several anti-gun bills did receive a floor vote and passed their chamber of origin, and are still alive for the session.

House Bill 1225, sponsored by Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-27), would require law-enforcement to seize firearms and ammunition when they are called to the scene of an alleged domestic violence incident and hold them for at least five business days. This would result in property being confiscated without first going through due process and subjecting citizens to bureaucratic red tape to get their property returned.

House Bill 1465, sponsored by Representative Roger Goodman (D-45), would require CPL holders to undergo a state background check on handgun purchases instead of the instant NICS check that is currently being conducted as a courtesy by the FBI. Unfortunately, beginning July 1st, the FBI will no longer be conducting these courtesy NICS checks for CPL holders.

House Bill 1786, sponsored by Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-27), would expand firearm seizures to a wider range of protective orders with little to no due process, and in some cases, would remove a judge’s discretion as to whether to impose firearm restrictions upon respondents of protective orders.

Senate Bill 5027, sponsored by Senator David Frockt (D-46), would expand Washington’s existing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO). It would affirm that the ERPO can be issued against minors while also infringing upon the self-defense rights of law-abiding parents or others in the household without due process.

Senate Bill 5181, sponsored by Senator Kuderer, would suspend Second Amendment rights without due process for six months from individuals who are admitted for a 72-hour mental health evaluation, but who are not subsequently involuntarily committed.

The Substitute to Senate Bill 5434, sponsored by Senator Claire Wilson (D-30), would increase the areas where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from possessing firearms, including holders of a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) carrying a handgun for self-defense. It would mandate that child care facilities be “gun-free zones” where law-abiding citizens would be unable to defend themselves and their loved ones against criminals who simply ignore such arbitrary boundaries. In addition, they would be required to post signs indicating their “gun-free zone” status.

In addition, pro-gun legislation, House Bill 1934, also passed its chamber of origin and will be advancing. Sponsored by Representative Michelle Caldier (R-26), HB 1934 would allow military members who are stationed or assigned out-of-state to renew their CPL by mail.

Thank you to all the NRA members and Second Amendment supporters that attended committee hearings and contacted legislators. While your NRA is at the Capitol on a daily basis throughout the session, it is your continued involvement that makes the difference. Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates on these bills and others affecting our Second Amendment rights in Washington.

NRA-ILA: Washington: Legislation to Expand Gun-Free Zones to be Heard

NRA-ILA | Washington: Legislation to Expand Gun-Free Zones to be Heard

Next week, committees in the Washington State Legislature will be hearing legislation that would expand arbitrary zones where law-abiding citizens are left defenseless while nothing is done to hinder criminals.  On February 11^th, the Senate Committee on Law & Justice will be hearing Senate Bill 5434 and on February 13^th, the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary will be hearing the companion House Bill 1530.  Please contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE SB 5434 and HB 1530.  Click the “Take Action” button {"CLICK HERE link -- dwd} below to contact committee members.

CLICK HERE

Senate Bill 5434, sponsored by Senator Claire Wilson (D-30), and House Bill 1530, sponsored by Representative Lauren Davis (D-32), would increase the areas where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from possessing firearms, including holders of a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) carrying a handgun for self-defense.  It would turn child care facilities, libraries, public parks, and recreational facilities into “gun-free zones” where law-abiding citizens would be unable to defend themselves and their loved ones against criminals who simply ignore such arbitrary boundaries.  In addition, child care facilities would be required to post a “Gun-Free Zone” sign.

Again, please click the “Take Action” button {"CLICK HERE link -- dwd} above to contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE SB 5434 and HB 1530.

In addition, House Bill 1465, sponsored by Representative Roger Goodman (D-45), HB 1645 will be heard by the House Committee on Judiciary on February 15^th.  It would require CPL holders to undergo a state background check on handgun purchases instead of the instant NICS check that is currently being conducted as a courtesy by the FBI.  Unfortunately, beginning July 1^st, the FBI will no longer be conducting these courtesy NICS checks for CPL holders. 

Your NRA is actively working to find solutions that will continue to allow CPL holders to transfer firearms in a timely manner.  Please stay tuned for further updates on this issue.

 The "Click Here" link above goes to the same place the "Take Action" button goes in the email alert and web page, but was easier than trying to embed the button...

More: Washington: House Committee to Hear Ammunition Ban & Other Anti-Gun Bills

NRA-ILA | Washington: House Committee to Hear Ammunition Ban & Other Anti-Gun Bills

On January 29^th, the Washington state House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary will be hearing House Bill 1315 to increase the red tape for law-abiding citizens to apply for a Concealed Pistol License.  On February 1^st, they will be hearing House Bill 1346 to prohibit young adults under the age of 21 from receiving the vast majority of conventional ammunition available and House Bill 1319 to allow localities to infringe upon Second Amendment rights.  Please contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE House Bills 1315, 1319, and 1346.  Click the “Take Action” button below to contact committee members.

House Bill 1346, sponsored by Representative Gerry Pollet (D-46), would make it illegal to sell, transfer, give, or otherwise make available ammunition that is not certified as “nonlead” to anyone under the age of 21, with the exception of ammunition given by a parent or guardian.  This would encompass the vast majority of ammunition available on the market commonly used for target shooting, self-defense, and many types of hunting.  It would essentially limit young adults under the age of 21 to very expensive, specialty ammunition that may not even be manufactured in certain common calibers and may even provide sub-standard performance compared to traditional ammunition.  In addition, businesses selling ammunition would be required to provide a handout to customers on the health effects of lead and they would even be subject to random, unannounced inspections by the Department of Health along with local law-enforcement to ensure compliance.

House Bill 1319, sponsored by Representative Sharon Wylie (D-49), would create an exemption in a decades old statute which would allow local governments to ban the open carrying of firearms at public meetings.

House Bill 1315, sponsored by Representative John Lovick (D-44), would increase the government red tape that law-abiding adults must go through in order to obtain a Concealed Pistol License by requiring a mandatory training course developed by the Washington State Patrol.

Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE House Bills 1315, 1319, and 1346.  

Again, the "TAKE ACTION" button is at the linked page. At this time, it does not work -- for me. Not sure whether that's because it has not been updated, or something is blocking it, whether on my computer or in between.

To no one's great surprise: "Washington: Anti-Gun Bills Pass Committee..."

NRA-ILA | Washington: Anti-Gun Bills Pass Committee, On to Senate Floor

During the January 24^th executive session, the Washington state Senate Committee on Law & Justice voted to pass all of the gun control bills before them by a vote of 4-3.  They will now go to the Senate floor for further consideration.  Please contact your state Senator and urge them to OPPOSE these anti-gun bills.  Click the “Take Action” button and call 1-800-562-6000 to contact your state Senator. {At link. DWD}

The Proposed Substitute to Senate Bill 5062, sponsored by Senator Patty Kuderer (D-48), was filed at the request of Attorney General Bob Ferguson. It would ban the possession of ammunition magazines with a capacity greater than 10, encompassing most standard capacity magazines commonly used by law-abiding citizens, such as with handguns popular for self-defense. Those who own non-compliant magazines prior to the ban would only be allowed to possess them on their own property and in other limited instances such as at licensed shooting ranges and nationally sanctioned sport shooting events. These magazines would have to be transported unloaded and locked separately from firearms and stored at home locked, making them unavailable for self-defense.

The Proposed Substitute to Senate Bill 5061, sponsored by Senator Manka Dhingra (D-45), was filed at the request of Attorney General Ferguson. It would end the centuries old practice of manufacturing firearms for personal use, among other things.

Senate Bill 5174, sponsored by Senator Guy Palumbo (D-1), would increase the government red tape that law-abiding adults must go through in order to obtain a Concealed Pistol License by requiring a mandatory training course.

Senate Bill 5143, sponsored by Senator Dhingra, would require law-enforcement to seize firearms and ammunition when they are called to the scene of an alleged domestic violence incident and hold them for at least five business days. This would result in property being confiscated without first going through due process and subjecting citizens to bureaucratic red tape to get their property returned.

Senate Bill 5027, sponsored by Senator David Frockt (D-46), would expand Washington’s existing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO). It would affirm that the ERPO can be issued against minors while also infringing upon the self-defense rights of law-abiding parents or others in the household without due process.

Again, please click the “Take Action” button above and call 1-800-562-6000 to urge your state Senator to OPPOSE these gun control bills.

 I feel compelled to note that clicking the "Take Action" button at the link resulted in a pop-under,  leading me to think that the button didn't work. 😕 Just mentioning it in case anyone else sees the same thing.

SEE ALSO: GOAL Post 2019-2, Legislative Update from Olympia 18 January 2019 - Gun Owners Action League of Washington

It's frustrating as hell to live in a state which strongly supported firearms rights -- including liberal constituencies -- up until the last few years when the ultra-rich socialist capitalists realized they could buy the law through the initiative process.

GOAL Post 2019-1

Is up here, as seen at the top of the right hand sidebar.  (I seem to have fallen off the mailing list.)

Being the first GOAL post of the year, it's a long one, as Joe usually takes the time to explain the legislative process. (See also my earlier post in which I shared everyone's favorite Schoolhouse Rock vids 😉...)

Bills, so far:
BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:
HB 1010 Disposition of forfeited firearms by WSP
Senn (D-41) H.CR&J OPPOSE
HB 1022 Prohibiting handgun sale data base
Walsh (R-19) H.CR&J SUPPORT
HB 1024 Prohibiting gun owner data base
Walsh (R-19) H.CR&J SUPPORT
HB 1068 High capacity magazine ban
Valdez (D-46) H.CR&J OPPOSE
HB 1038 Authorizing armed school personnel
Walsh (R-19) UnAsg SUPPORT
HB 1073 Undetectable and/or untraceable firearms
Valdez (D-46) H.CR&J OPPOSE
SB 5016 Authorizing armed animal control officers
Van De Wege UnAsg SUPPORT
SB 5027 Extreme risk protection orders, under age 18
Frockt (D-46) S.L&J OPPOSE
SB 5050 Sentence enhancement for body armor use in a crime
O’Ban (R-28) S.L&J NEUTRAL
SB 5061 Undetectable and untraceable firearms
Dhingra (D-45) S.L&J OPPOSE
SB 5062 High capacity magazine ban
Kuderer D-48) S.L&J OPPOSE
SB 5072 Extreme risk protection orders
O’Ban (R-28) S.L&J NEUTRAL
HB = House bill, SB = Senate bill. L&J = Law & Justice , CR&J = Civil Rights and Judiciary, PubSaf = Public Safety, HC = Health Care, H. K-12 = House Early education, Aprop = Appropriations, Fin = Finance, W&M = Ways & Means “S” before a bill number indicates Substitute (amended).

"Sick of the NRA? Read this."

Breach/Bang/Clear: Sick of the NRA? Read this. | Duane Liptak with a reality check

...people bash the NRA a lot without understanding the reality of how the silly reindeer games get played on the hill. Try to at least understand the value that the organization provides because it is big and very real, and critically important. I want a live tank in my front yard and mail order Solothurn S-18/1000’s from Bannerman’s. But the path to get there isn’t exactly a clear one in the current legislative environment. Without the strength of the NRA helping to pack the courts, shape elections the best we can, fight off bad legislation wherever possible and pave the way to improve rights through the judiciary (we’ve confirmed 85 federal judges in addition to the 2 Supremes with 130 more to go), I fear we won’t have a path to it at all. That’s why I’m a member, and helping to make the organization as right as we can get it is why I got involved.

I get the frustration. I’m mad that we’re even in this situation. How could we, a republic, born from free men taking up arms against oppression, even be considering some of this nonsense? It baffles me. And, I used to be super frustrated with the NRA, also. Until…I was forced into being involved in politics and seeing how this whole mess works. Now I know what I have to do, and I hope everyone out there who cares about gun rights can get on board, too.

So, if you want to support GOA or FPC or FPC, or JPFO…that’s fantastic. Join your state organization, also. Be active locally. Let your elected representatives know how you feel on these issues regularly. But…be a member of the NRA, and be active. Vote. Let the board and the staff know where you stand on issues. Help to be a part of the solution. If we, as gun owners, can’t stick together and take advantage of the strengths of all of our organizations where they can do the most good, we will lose this fight. I’m not willing to lose.

 This is the last three paragraphs. Go read the whole thing.

Told You So

Not that anyone that reads this blog is likely to have needed telling, but...

Dave Workman writes: Gun Prohibitionist Agenda Confirms ‘Slippery Slope’ - Liberty Park Press

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that when the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives convenes next month, “We will pass common sense gun violence prevention legislation soon, and…it will be bipartisan,” which remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, here in Washington AC, NRA-ILA sends:

NRA-ILA | Washington: Anti-Gun Group Announces 2019 Agenda 

On December 5^th, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, a group backed by out-of-state elites, announced it will pursue its most extreme anti-gun legislative agenda to date during the upcoming 2019 Washington Legislative Session.  This comes less than one month after the Alliance for Gun Responsibility and Seattle tech-billionaires spent millions to pass Initiative 1639, which made the state’s gun control laws amongst the worst in nation.

Some of the most egregious restrictions in the Alliance for Gun Responsibility’s 2019 agenda includes the following:

• Standard Capacity Magazine Ban:  Targets commonly owned standard capacity ammunition magazines by arbitrarily branding them as “High Capacity Magazines,” and restricts access for self-defense purposes.
• Government Mandated Training to Obtain CPL:  Would require all new applicants and renewing holders of a concealed pistol license show documentation they have completed a firearms safety course
• Abolish State Preemption:  Washington’s state preemption statute, passed in 1983, helps keep firearm and ammunition laws consistent throughout the state by establishing that the State Legislature has full authority to regulate and create laws pertaining to firearms and ammunition.  These statutes help prevent a confusing patchwork of gun control laws which make it difficult for gun owners to ensure that they are following the law and also protects the Second Amendment rights of all Washingtonians, regardless of where they reside.
• Remove Second Amendment Rights without due process:  Impose a firearm prohibition for any person who has been released from a 72-hour mental health evaluation. This type of legislation removes a constitutional right without any mental health adjudication or judicial determination, and without any due process of law.
• Expand “Gun-Free Zones” to child care facilities and early learning centers:  This type of policy creates arbitrary boundaries around areas where law-abiding individuals are prohibited from carrying a firearm for self-defense.  These arbitrary boundaries do not deter criminals.
• Firearm Destruction by Washington State Patrol:  Allows for the destruction of all firearms confiscated by or forfeited to the Washington State Patrol.  Like other seized items, these firearms should be sold by law-enforcement to generate revenue instead of spending money to have them destroyed.
• Require Reporting of Lost or Stolen Firearms by setting a timeframe for when they must be reported under penalty of law:  Individuals should not be further victimized after experiencing a burglary or other loss.

Your NRA will continue to fight for the Second Amendment rights of Washingtonians and will be at the Capitol on a daily basis throughout the 2019 legislative session.  Your active participation is needed to help protect self-defense rights in the Evergreen state.  Please sign up as an NRA Frontlines volunteer and get at least three fellow gun owners to also sign up to receive timely legislative alerts on firearm-related bills during this upcoming session.  Make plans to attend committee hearings on these bills in Olympia when NRA-ILA notifies you of the place and location.  Also, contact your state lawmakers before and during session urging them to OPPOSE these measures. 
Please stay tuned to your email inbox and www.nraila.com for further updates on pre-filed bills and ways to be involved when the legislature convenes on January 14^th.

Because you knew they would...

Second Amendment Foundation: SAF, NRA FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT CHALLENGING INITIATIVE 1639

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association have filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging gun control Initiative 1639 in Washington State, on several grounds.


The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. In addition to SAF and NRA, plaintiffs include gun dealers and young adults in the affected age group.

The lawsuit challenges the measure on the grounds that it violates the commerce clause by banning sales of rifles to non-residents, and that it unconstitutionally impairs the rights guaranteed by the First, Second and Fourteenth Amendments, and Article I Section 24 of the Washington State constitution by preventing the sale to otherwise qualified adults under age 21 of certain rifles.

“We are also considering additional legal challenges,” SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb confirmed. “We are disappointed that too many Evergreen State voters were fooled into supporting this 30-page gun control scheme, despite overwhelming law enforcement opposition. This initiative is an affront to the constitutional rights enshrined in the Second Amendment and the Washington state constitution, especially for young adults.

“We’re determined to fight this egregious measure because constitutionally-protected rights should never be subject to a popularity vote,” he stated. “The wealthy elitists behind I-1639 want to turn a right into a regulated privilege. This measure was only designed to have a chilling effect on the exercise of a constitutional right by honest citizens while having no impact at all on criminals, and we cannot let it go unchallenged.”

“The NRA is committed to restoring the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding Washingtonian,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “I-1639 violates the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and puts people at risk. This lawsuit is the first step in the fight to ensure that Washingtonians are free to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense.

“The NRA will fight to overturn this unconstitutional initiative. We will not sit idly by while elitist anti-gun activists attempt to deny everyday Americans their fundamental right to self-defense,” concluded Cox.

“While a handful of billionaires spending millions of dollars were able to buy votes, it is our hope they can’t buy the judges,” Gottlieb said.

 

WA: I1639 Update from SAF

Second Amendment Foundation:SAF, CCRKBA CONTEND I-1639 INVALID; ‘DOESN’T MEET LEGAL GUIDELINES’

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today raised serious new concerns about the validity of Initiative 1639, the gun control measure now gathering signatures, because petitions do not appear to meet state-mandated guidelines for having a “full, true, and correct copy of the proposed measure” printed on the back.
Having already raised the issue of readability as required by state law, the two organizations now believe that in its printed form on the back of each petition, I-1639 does not meet the “full, true and correct” requirement. SAF and CCRKBA examined the printed text on an official petition and discovered that language designated to be changed or removed is not “lined out,” nor are proposed new statutory additions underlined as they appear in the version submitted to the state and published on the Secretary of State’s website.

“We warned earlier this week that the tiny print on I-1639 petitions makes the document unreadable according to several people who have contacted us,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “If you look closely, which requires a magnifying glass, this new problem becomes obvious.

“We immediately advised our attorney about this,” he added. “He already reached out to the initiative sponsors about the readability issue, but they didn’t respond. If they are so careless about knowing what is, or is not, shown on their own petitions, how is anyone else supposed to know?

“They’re asking people to sign an initiative that is difficult, if not impossible to read,” Gottlieb observed. “And now we’ve discovered that even if people can read the fine print, it does not appear to be a ‘true and correct copy’ of the proposed measure as submitted to the state.

“What are voters supposed to think about this,” he wondered. “How are they supposed to know what they’re being asked to change? How can they tell the difference between what would become law, and what would be replaced? Are they simply expected to sign a document they can’t read and vote on a measure they don’t understand? That’s not democracy, that’s Trojan Horse politics.

“If these petitions, which are not compliant with state law, are turned in,” Gottlieb vowed, “our organizations will seek to have them invalidated by the court.”

SOS also weighed in: More legality issues with I-1639 gun control petitions
 

WA -- SAF, CCRKBA WARN I-1639 SPONSORS THAT ‘UNREADABLE’ PETITIONS VIOLATE LAW

The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizen's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms send:

SAF, CCRKBA WARN I-1639 SPONSORS THAT ‘UNREADABLE’ PETITIONS VIOLATE LAW
BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today warned sponsors of anti-gun Initiative 1639 via a demand letter that their campaign “is utilizing unreadable petitions in violation” of state law, and demanded that this be corrected to “conform to the legal requirements.”
Olympia attorney Shawn Newman, writing on behalf of the two Bellevue-based organizations, noted, “The petitions for I-1639 have the proposed measure printed on the back of the sheets in such fine print as to be unreadable… Use of fine print is unconscionable.”
State law mandates that initiative petitions “have a readable, full, true, and correct copy of the proposed measure printed on the reverse side of the petition,” Newman’s letter warns.
“In the short time that I-1639 petitions have been in circulation,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, “SAF and CCRKBA have been contacted by several people who could not read the initiative language. I’ve always been warned to read the small print before signing anything. I-1639, as it appears on the back of each petition, is all small print. That should tell voters something about its content.”
According to Newman’s letter, “Obviously, due to the microscopic maze of fine print used by the initiative sponsors to disguise the actual language of the initiative on the back of their petitions, voters cannot be fully informed.” He cautioned I-1639 sponsors that having their paid signature gatherers tell voters to “read it online” is “no substitute for following the law.” Newman suggested reprinting the petitions, and contact voters who have already signed to allow them the opportunity to sign a readable copy of the measure.
“We would prefer that you become compliant with the law,” Newman wrote, “but if you choose to continue in this illegal manner, we will be forced to litigate this matter.”
Copies of the letter were sent to Secretary of State’s office, the Washington State Attorney General, and “many other interested parties to ensure that everyone has been notified of the fundamental problem with your petitions.”
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.

 (More after the jump...)