Gun Control Washington follow up

Substitute Senate Bill 5444, sponsored by Senator David Frockt (D-46), is a stepping stone to a larger prohibition.  As drafted, anyone under the age of 21 would be virtually unable to possess commonly owned semi-automatic rifles.  This legislation attempts to brand these firearms as “assault weapons” to drum up unfounded fear of their ownership.  The proposed substitute would treat these so-called "assault weapons" like handguns under state law, which require a waiting period of either 10 days or until all federal and state background checks have been completed.  Individuals would be required to complete the same purchase application as for handguns.  The Washington Department of Licensing would be granted permission to store this information under SB 5444, creating a back-door registry. Scheduled for a committee vote on Thursday, February 1^st at 10:00am.

Substitute Senate Bill 5441, sponsored by Senator Patty Kuderer (D-48), would impose a 6-month firearm prohibition for any person who has been released from a 72-hour mental health evaluation.  Current law allows a person to be held for a limited time in order for a mental health professional to determine if the individual, based on allegations of a mental health or substance abuse disorder, is in need of treatment or further commitment.  At the end of the evaluation, individuals that are not in need of treatment are released.  SB 5441 would nonetheless apply a blanket prohibition of firearm possession to all released individuals, and requires the immediate surrender of all firearms and any concealed pistol license to law enforcement.  This legislation removes a constitutional right without any mental health adjudication or judicial determination, and without any due process of law.  Scheduled for a committee vote on Thursday, February 1^st at 10:00am.

Senate Bill 6298, sponsored by Senator Manka Dhingra (D-45), would expand the list of domestic violence offenses that prohibit firearm possession to also include “Harrassment.”  Domestic violence is a serious issue and those convicted of violent offenses should be addressed accordingly.  However, the definition of harassment under Washington state law is so broadly defined that it includes 37 other crimes, many of which involve no form of actual contact or threat of harm to a person.  Under this legislation, even the offenses of graffiti and trespass fall within this umbrella category that could result in a firearm prohibition.  Imposing an automatic, blanket ban on constitutional rights for these wildly varying offenses is excessive and unwarranted.  Scheduled for a committee vote on Tuesday, January 30th at 10:00am.

Senate Bill 6415, sponsored by Senator Sam Hunt (D-22), would require individuals to ask for express consent to conceal carry a firearm at the residence of another person.  Failure to obtain permission prior to entering the property would result in a misdemeanor crime.  Individuals convicted of this new offense would be required to surrender their concealed pistol license, and would be prohibited from obtaining a CPL for five years.  This vaguely drafted legislation targets Washington’s law abiding CPL holders, and as drafted, could even make it a crime for law enforcement to enter one’s property without first requesting permission to carry their firearm.  This bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Law & Justice Committee at 10:00am on Tuesday, January 30^th, and a committee vote on Thursday, February 1^st at 10:00am.

Senate Bill 5992, passed by a Senate vote of 29-20.  Sponsored by Senator Kevin Van de Wege (D-24), SB 5992 was originally introduced as a trigger modification device ban with broad, overreaching language that would have criminalized modifications commonly made to firearms by law-abiding citizens.  Instead, the legislation was amended on the floor Thursday night to narrow down the definition of the ban to apply only to bump-fire stock attachments.  This bill will now head to the House where it will be assigned to committee for further consideration.

Greed house gas tax

The Washington State legislature is proposing a $7.4 billion Carbon Pollution Tax, SB 6203 - 2017-18.

2016 tax rate. 

The tax will be added to the price you pay for gasoline and electricity.  Washington State already has the second highest gasoline taxes in the country.  Gasoline taxes will increase 18¢ per gallon. Inlsee and the legislature don't seem to think  greenhouse gas taxes are high enough

If you use natural gas to heat your home, you will be taxed more for that.

Industry that uses natural gas, like the beer brewing industry, will have to add the tax to the price of their product.  This carbon tax will be tough on Seattle's micro-brewers.

The Senate bill report reviews the implications of this measure, and reflects how current law handles the existing situation (Yes, Virginia, we already have law to protect the environment against pollution).

Its apparent the purpose of the proposed carbon tax is to suck more money out of the the people of Washington State. Climate change is a tax issue. It is not scientific fact.  Greed lives in Olympia.

Socialized medicine proposition

Senate Bill 5747 proposes health care financing be controlled by the state.  If this Obamacare type insurance scam is enacted, it pretty much means Washington State will have the highest taxes in the US. and poorest medical care.  A lot of the language is similar to Obamacare, such as "[SB5747 will] generate savings sufficient to ensure coverage for all Washington  residents." Not likely.

Anyway, there will be a hearing on 01/18/2018 at 10:00AM, at the J.A. Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Rm 2, Olympia, WA.  The notice for this hearing was time stamped Wednesday, January 17, 2018 4:18 PM. Such short notice makes it pretty clear the legislature thinks this such a bad idea, they had to rush to ram it down our throats.

Civilian gun restriction plans in Washington State

The Washington State Senate Law & Justice Committee has indicated it will hold a public hearing on multiple gun bills on the following Monday, January 15^th from 10:00AM-12:00PM. 

The committee agenda has not yet been posted for which bills will be heard; however, anti-gun legislators have already made it clear they are going to push several sweeping gun control bills this year.

• Senate Bill 5050, sponsored by Senator David Frockt (D-46), and House Bill 1134, sponsored by Representative Strom Peterson (D-21), would prohibit all possession, purchase, sale or transfer of commonly owned semi-automatic rifles and ammunition magazines holding ten or more rounds.


• Senate Bill 5444, sponsored by Senator Frockt, and House Bill 1387, sponsored by Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-27), would impose a registration-licensing system for commonly owned semi-automatic rifles and ammunition magazines holding ten or more rounds.  Among the idiocies, Section 1. (27)(vi) restricts marine flare guns "assault weapons."


• Senate Bill 5463, sponsored by Senator Frockt, and House Bill 1122, sponsored by Representative Ruth Kagi (D-32), would require individuals to lock up firearms or potentially face Class C Felony charges [All of Section 2, especially (2)(a)].  This intrusive government legislation invades people’s homes and forces them to render their firearms useless in a self-defense situation by locking them up.

Update:  Next Thursday, January 18th, House Bill 1122 is scheduled for a vote in the House Judiciary Committee.  Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to oppose this bill! Comment on the bill to voice your opposition.

Suitable storage of firearms varies by personal circumstances as different gun owners have different requirements and it is unreasonable for the law to attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all solution.

Senate Bill 5463, the companion bill of HB 1122, has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Monday, January 15th at 10:00AM.

• Senate Bill 5992, sponsored by Senator Kevin Van De Wege (D-24), would make it a crime to knowingly possess a firearm accessory or any other device, part or combination of parts that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm.

Update: Trigger Modification Ban Passed Committee
Earlier today, the Washington state Senate Law & Justice Committee passed Senate Bill 5992 out of committee with a 4-3 vote. As drafted, this legislation has overreaching language that would ban modifications commonly made to firearms by law-abiding citizens (post your comment here).  This bill is expected to be on the Senate floor as soon as Thursday.  Please contact your Senator and urge them to OPPOSE this legislation.

Senate Bill 5992, sponsored by Senator Kevin Van De Wege (D-24), mirrors federal legislation proposed by anti-gun California U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).  This bill would make it a crime to knowingly possess a firearm accessory or any other device, part or combination of parts that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm.  The broad and overreaching provisions in SB 5992 could potentially criminalize firearm modifications such as competition triggers, muzzle brakes, and ergonomic changes that are commonly done by law-abiding gun owners to make their firearms more suitable for self-defense, competition, hunting, or even overcoming disability.

• Senate Bill 6049, sponsored by Senator Frockt, would prohibit the possession of ammunition magazines holding ten or more rounds, with limited exceptions.

It’s imperative that Second Amendment supporters make their voice heard during these hearings and throughout the legislative session. If you are able to, please tentatively plan to attend the committee hearing in Olympia on January 15^th.

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We the People can claim our constitutional defense against these proposals, but that won't stop the Democratic Party from choosing to support their criminal constituents over innocent people.  Witness what happened in California to Kate Steinle.

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Washington State Constitution, Article 1, Section 24: RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. 

"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."  [A citizen has the right to be armed, but not to form a private army].

United State Constitution, Amendment 2:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Children or guns?

People are interested in good society, not murdering each other.  Don't be puzzled that more guns in law-abiding,  civilian hands results in less crime.

The choice the leftist controlled media would have us believe is  'children or guns.'

The media can sound so self-righteous when they insist the free person is too free and must be controlled to save children's lives.  But that has never been the choice.

It is the right of life to have means of self-preservation.  By far most people have a weapon for self-defense, against a day they hope will never come.