Washington: Additional Hearing Scheduled on Gun Ban Bills

[Charlie T Waite]

On Tuesday, January 21^st, at 10AM, the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee will consider several anti-gun bills that would severely restrict the Constitutional Rights of law-abiding Washingtonian citizens. This hearing comes just one day after the Senate Law & Justice Committee will hear testimony on numerous other gun bills. Testimony will be limited to 90 seconds per person and House Bills 2240 and 2241 will be heard together.

Please make plans to attend the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee hearing on January 21^st at 10:00AM. In addition, please use the “Take Action” button below to contact committee members.

The following bills are scheduled for a hearing:

House Bill 2240 would ban the manufacture, possession, sale, transfer, etc. of magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. This measure is strongly supported by the Governor and the Attorney General, and would severely limit your ability to defend yourself and your loved ones. This is the companion bill to Senate Bill 6077, which the Senate Law & Justice Committee will hear on January 20^th.

House Bill 2241 would ban certain semi-automatic rifles and magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. HB 2241, like its predecessors, would do nothing to impact crime or keep Washingtonians safer.

House Bill 2519 would ban online sales of ammunition, and potentially require background checks for all ammunition purchases. This bill comes on the heels of California’s failed ammunition background check system and is being supported by the Attorney General.

House Bill 1374 would abolish Washington’s decades old state preemption statute, allowing localities to pass any gun control measures they see fit. Repealing preemption would lead to a confusing patchwork of local laws, making it extremely difficult for even the most well-meaning, and otherwise law-abiding, gun owners to avoid inadvertently becoming criminals. The hearing will be held on a substitute bill that has not yet been released. 

House Bill 1315 would require onerous government red tape and further training to obtain a Concealed Pistol License. Training requirements are yet another cost prohibitive measure intended to ensure that lower income Americans are barred from defending themselves. The hearing will be held on a substitute bill that has not yet been released. 

Additionally, on Friday, January 17^th, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 2467, which would create a single point of contact background check system in WA. This bill has been introduced by a bipartisan group of legislators in an effort to streamline the background check system in Washington. Instead of conducting CPL-holder firearm purchases through the existing process, which can up to take 10 days, an automated check system would restore an instant check, similar to the NICS check that was previously used. While some groups have mischaracterized this bill as an “excise tax” on all firearm transfers, no fees have been set and this topic remains an important point of discussion. Your NRA has a seat at the table of these discussions and will continue to advocate on behalf of gun owners as this process continues. 

Again, please use the “Take Action” button above to contact members of the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, and if possible, make plans to attend the committee hearings on January 20^th & 21^st.