Washington: Second Amendment Banned in First Amendment Spaces After the Signing of Anti-Gun Measure

[Charlie T Waite]

On Wednesday, despite the thousands of calls, emails, and other communication from NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters, Senate Bill 5038 advanced out of the legislature and was signed into law. In response to the signing, NRA State Director Aoibheann Cline wrote:

“By signing SB 5038, Gov. Inslee yet again displays a blatant disregard for the safety and freedoms of law-abiding Washingtonians. The right of self-protection should never be denied whether at home, on the road, or in the public square. The NRA will continue this fight on all available fronts.”

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Senate Bill 5038 makes it a crime to openly carry, on the person or in a vehicle, a firearm or other “weapon” if you are at or within 250 feet of a “permitted demonstration” in a public place. Even if you leave your firearm locked in the trunk of your car, it is considered "open carry" under this bill and you will be guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Despite permitting individuals to use an area for the exercise of their First Amendment rights, anti-gun legislators are banning individuals from exercising their Second Amendment rights in the same permitted space.  The Constitution was not written with gradually disappearing ink, where one right is more important than another.  The Second Amendment should not be infringed upon in any capacity, especially where other Constitutional Rights are being freely and openly expressed. 

Thank you to NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters who remained in constant contact with their legislators and voiced their staunch opposition to this measure.  Stay-tuned to NRA-ILA for more information and updates on Second Amendment issues in the Evergreen State.