SB 5707 – Housing Court Pilot Program Hearing: Tuesday, February 14 at 10:30 a.m.

Sign to testify in opposition of SB 5707 in the Senate Law & Justice Committee.  The SL&J committee must be contacted quickly.  (You can also simply state that you are opposed -- see the links below.  Sorry about the rush.  The notice of the hearing was slow in coming out.

SB 5707  Bill Summary

• Creates a new Housing Court Pilot Program inside District Court for counties in Western Washington with a population of 2 million or more (King County).
• Creates a new Housing Court Pilot Program inside District Court for counties in Eastern Washington with a population of 500,000 or more (Spokane County).
• Applies to tenancies under RCW 59.12 and RCW 59.19
• Includes case management that "should" result in efficient use and time.
• Court facilitator to assist both parties (housing provider and resident).
• Provide "non-adversarial" methods of dispute resolution such as a settlement conference and mediation by attorney mediators.
• Sealing of eviction records.
• Judicial officers are required to complete training program and subsequent training for a minimum of 8 hours annually.
• Report to the State December 24, 2024, and each year thereafter.
• Effective date January 1, 2024.
• Expires July 1, 2033.

 Flaws

• The Dispute Resolution Center is an ineffective and tedious process. How will this program be an improvement?
• This program will impose immense financial and administrative burden on the counties that implement it.
• Sealing eviction records suppresses relevant information for future housing providers.
• There are already cities in Washington who cannot deny a resident based on eviction history.
• This will slow down the eviction process which could lead to further harm to property or other residents in some circumstances.

HB 1333 -- state surveillance of political enemies

HB 1333 is a direct assault on free speech and a major abuse of power. This bill would target individuals and groups that the Attorney General's office views as 'extremeists.'

We have already seen how the left and their media allies have branded groups opposed to abortions, mandates, lockdowns and more as 'domestic extremists'.  This bill is a government enforced extension of that rhetoric. This means that the government could potentially go after those who have politically different views but have not committed any acts of violence.

We can also assume this will not be used against those actually perpetrating political violence - such as Antifa and other leftwing groups that took over our streets in the summer of 2020 or the growing attacks against pregnancy resource centers in our state.

This bill is unAmerican and should not be passed. Register your CON position against this bill here before 3PM today.

WA legislature gun control efforts continue

Resistance is called for.

The latest: February 8^th, at 4:00PM, the House Appropriations Committee will hear House Bill 1143, to impose 

• Firearm permit to purchase requirement
• A training mandate
• A 10-day waiting period scheme
  
• Allow indefinite delays on firearm transfers

This bill is gaining an unpleasant amount of strength in the Democratic Party controlled legislature.

The Appropriations Committee considers the fiscal impacts of the bill. HB 1143 is an unfunded gun-control mandate and will cost individuals hundreds to thousands of dollars to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms. You are encouraged to oppose HB 1143 by noting their position for the legislative record and with in-person, remote, or written testimony. Click here for general information on how to participate in the committee process.

House Bill 1143 

• Denies law-abiding citizens their Second Amendment right to acquire firearms unless they obtain a government-issued permit. 
• The permit is only valid for five years and to obtain the permit, the state requires completion of official, sanctioned firearms training every five years. 
• It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer or indefinite if the state fails to complete background check during that time.

I submitted written testimony.  These were my points:

• A firearms permit will do nothing to reduce violent crime.  Criminals do not follow the law.
• Mandating training is not compatible with the stated civil right of defense of self and state.  Perhaps the legislature should offer state financed training as an option.
• A ten day delay will not achieve anything positive if the innocent civilian needs self defense now.
• The potentially eternal delay is a plain denial of the express civil right of "individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself" as stated in the Washington state constitution, Article 1, Section 24.
• The state will need to spend millions of tax dollars against the justifiable claims of  the citizens groups will struggle to stop the legislature's gun control efforts.  Is this a legitimate use of the state's funds?
  

You can:

• Appear in person to testify in person during the hearing
• Schedule to testify remotely
• State your position noted for the legislative record
• Submit written testimony, like I did.
  

Please contact committee members and ask them to OPPOSE HB 1143, and please consider testifying as well.

The National Riffle Association is a staunch ally.  They will also forward your objections to this bill to the committee members.  Click Here.

WA: Hearing scheduled & updates on other Anti-Gun bills

On February 9^th, the Senate Law and Justice Committee will hold a public hearing for Senate Bill 5232, the companion to House Bill 1144, which imposes a firearm permit requirement, a 10-day waiting period scheme, and allows indefinite delays on firearm transfers. The committee originally scheduled the bill for February 2^nd, but did not hear it. NRA members and Second Amendment supporters are encouraged to oppose SB 5232 by noting their position for the legislative record and with in-person, remote, or written testimony. Click here for more information on how to participate.

Please also contact committee members and ask them to OPPOSE SB 5232.

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Senate Bill 5232 requires an individual to ask government permission to exercise a constitutionally protected right. This bill impedes an individual's right to acquire firearms unless they complete official, sanctioned training every five years to obtain and maintain a permit. It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer, or indefinite if the state fails to complete background checks during that time.

Last Friday, the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 1240 and House Bill 1143. The bills are in the Rules Committee, where they can be brought to the Floor for a full House vote. The NRA organized Committee testimony and thousands of NRA members and 2A advocates opposed the bill. Thank you for your engagement! Keep up the opposition pressure: your voice is needed. Please contact your representative to OPPOSE HB 1240 and HB 1144. 

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House Bill 1240 is a comprehensive ban on transferring, importing, and manufacturing many semi-automatic firearms that law-abiding citizens commonly-own for self-defense, competition, and recreation. It bans enumerated firearm models on a list, semi-automatic rifles with an overall length of less than 30 inches, and any firearms with one or more proscribed features that exist on modern designs for making firearms more user-friendly, such as telescoping stocks meant to adjust the length of pull for users of different statures or wearing different clothing, muzzle brakes meant to reduce recoil, and grips conducive to the natural angles of human wrists. In addition, it also bans spare parts and “combination[s] of parts” that can be used to assemble banned firearms, but on their own are simply pieces of plastic or metal.

House Bill 1144 requires an individual to ask government permission to exercise a constitutionally protected right. This bill impedes an individual's right to acquire firearms unless they complete official, sanctioned training every five years. It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer or indefinite if the state fails to complete background checks during that time.

On Tuesday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5078. NRA provided testimony in the Committee and thousands of NRA members and 2A advocates opposed the bill. Thank you again for your engagement! Keep up the opposition pressure: your voice is needed. Please contact committee members to OPPOSE SB 5078. 

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Senate Bill 5078 aims to undermine the PLCAA and subject licensed firearm manufacturers and sellers to frivolous lawsuits brought to recover damages for the criminal misuse of their products. Protecting the firearms industry, like other lawful industries, is necessary because our legal system generally does not punish anyone for the criminal actions of others. This bill simply seeks to sue the firearms industry out of existence in the state of Washington.

On Wednesday, Senate Bill 5006 was moved to Second Reading in the Senate Rules Committee. The bill is now eligible to receive a vote on the Senate Floor at any time. NRA provided testimony twice, in opposition to this bill, in the Senate Law and Justice Committee. Please contact your senator to OPPOSE SB 5006.

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Senate Bill 5006 turns a suicide prevention measure into a prohibition on an individual’s Second Amendment rights. When individuals in crisis need help and take the initiative to admit they need help, turning around and branding them a prohibited person, involving law enforcement agencies, and imposing civil penalties is not the way to help them.

Again, please contact lawmakers and ask them to OPPOSE these bills.

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Be sure to add your voice to every one of these campaigns to stop the infringement of our rights to self-defense. 

The alert is a reproduction of today's email from the National Rifle Association.

WA state gun control waiting periods - revised bill

HB 1143 has been modified, mutating into SHB 1143.  Washington state government is still ready to try any mischief they can get away with, trifling with your guns, your safety and your civil right.

SHB 1143, titled AN ACT Relating to enhancing requirements for the purchase or transfer of firearms by requiring a permit to purchase firearms, firearms safety training, and a 10-day waiting period, prohibiting firearms transfers prior to completion of a background check, and updating and creating consistency in firearms transfer and background check procedures.

• Prohibits a dealer from transferring a firearm to a purchaser or transferee unless the person has a valid permit to purchase firearms, and establishes requirements for the application, issuance, and revocation of permits to purchase firearms.
• Provides that a dealer may not transfer any firearm to a purchaser or transferee until: completion of a background check indicating the person is eligible to possess firearms; and 10 days have elapsed since the dealer requested the background check.
• Requires a firearms transfer application and record of transfer for all firearm transfers.
• Updates firearm transfer and background check processes, including updates to conform to the implementation of a state firearms background check program.
• Amends numerous other provisions of law to incorporate permits to purchase firearms consistent with requirements relating to concealed pistol licenses.
  

Requiring a permit to purchase is clearly a violation of the 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.

Our state constitution Article 1, Section 24, recognizes the right to be armed in defense of self and state.  How can the right to bear an arm be according to state permit? What next, 'permit' only good people to vote?

Another argument in against pre-emptive gun law is found in Article 1, Section 3 Personal Rights

"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."

Life, liberty and property are defended with the unimpaired right to be armed.  As long as the government lets criminals rule the streets and rob the stores, we must be able to defend ourselves against them.

SHB 1143 would also require the state to do background checks on people without any specific reason  - in other words, it would require state government to do fishing expeditions to find grounds for the denial or a civil right.

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Comment on this bill can be made to your legislator through official channels at this link https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1143.

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You can email comments to the entire Washington state legislature.  Here is a list of their email addresses.

The House

peter.abbarno@leg.wa.gov; emily.alvarad@leg.wa.gov; andrew.barkis@leg.wa.gov; jessica.bateman@leg.wa.gov; stephanie.barnard@leg.wa.gov; april.berg@leg.wa.gov; steve.bergquist@leg.wa.gov; liz.berry@leg.wa.gov; dan.bronoske@leg.wa.gov; michelle.caldier@leg.wa.gov; lisa.callan@leg.wa.gov; kelly.chambers@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; mike.chapman@leg.wa.gov; greg.cheney@leg.wa.gov; frank.chopp@leg.wa.gov; leonard.christian@leg.wa.gov; april.connors@leg.wa.gov; chris.corry@leg.wa.gov; julio.cortes@leg.wa.gov; travis.couture@leg.wa.gov; lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov; tom.dent@leg.wa.gov; beth.doglio@leg.wa.gov; brandy.donaghy@leg.wa.gov; davina.duerr@leg.wa.gov; mary.dye@leg.wa.gov; debra.entenman@leg.wa.gov; carolyn.eslick@leg.wa.gov; darya.farivar@leg.wa.gov; jake.fey@leg.wa.gov; joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov; mary.fosse@leg.wa.gov; keith.goehner@leg.wa.gov; roger.goodman@leg.wa.gov; jenny.graham@leg.wa.gov; mia.gregerson@leg.wa.gov; dan.griffey@leg.wa.gov; david.hackney@leg.wa.gov; drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov; paul.harris@leg.wa.gov; spencer.hutchins@leg.wa.gov; cyndy.jacobsen@leg.wa.gov;  laurie.jinkins@leg.wa.gov; mark.klicker@leg.wa.gov; shelley.kloba@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; mari.leavitt@leg.wa.gov; debra.lekanoff@leg.wa.gov; sam.low@leg.wa.gov; nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov; jacquelin.maycumber@leg.wa.gov; stephanie.mcclintock@leg.wa.gov; joel.mcentire@leg.wa.gov; sharlett.mena@leg.wa.gov; melanie.morgan@leg.wa.gov; gina.mosbrucker@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov; lillian.ortiz-self@leg.wa.gov; tina.orwall@leg.wa.gov; dave.paul@leg.wa.gov; strom.peterson@leg.wa.gov; gerry.pollet@leg.wa.gov; alex.ramel@leg.wa.gov; bill.ramos@leg.wa.gov; julia.reed@leg.wa.gov; kristine.reeves@leg.wa.gov; marcus.riccelli@leg.wa.gov; eric.robertson@leg.wa.gov; skyler.rude@leg.wa.gov; alicia.rule@leg.wa.gov; cindy.ryu@leg.wa.gov; bryan.sandlin@leg.wa.gov; sharontomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; suzanne.schmidt@leg.wa.gov; tana.senn@leg.wa.gov; clyde.shavers@leg.wa.gov; sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov; tarra.simmons@leg.wa.gov; vandana.slatter@leg.wa.gov; larry.springer@leg.wa.gov; chris.stearns@leg.wa.gov; mike.steele@leg.wa.gov; drew.stokesbary@leg.wa.gov; monica.stonier@leg.wa.gov; chipalo.street@leg.wa.gov; jamila.taylor@leg.wa.gov; my-linh.thai@leg.wa.gov; steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov; javier.valdez@leg.wa.gov; joe.timmons@leg.wa.gov; mike.volz@leg.wa.gov; amy.walen@leg.wa.gov; jim.walsh@leg.wa.gov; kevin.waters@leg.wa.gov; jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov; sharon.wylie@leg.wa.gov; alex.ybarra@leg.wa.gov

The Senate version of the bill is SB 5211.  Comments can be directed the entire Senate membership.  Here are their emails.

andy.billig@leg.wa.gov; matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov; john.braun@leg.wa.gov; annette.cleveland@leg.wa.gov; steve.conway@leg.wa.gov; manka.dhingra@leg.wa.gov; perry.dozier@leg.wa.gov; phil.fortunato@leg.wa.gov; noel.frame@leg.wa.gov; chris.gildon@leg.wa.gov; bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov; brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov; jeff.holy@leg.wa.gov; sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov; claudia.kauffman@leg.wa.gov; karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov; curtis.king@leg.wa.gov; patty.kuderer@leg.wa.gov; marko.liias@leg.wa.gov; liz.lovelett@leg.wa.gov; john.lovick@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; jim.mccune@leg.wa.gov; mark.mullet@leg.wa.gov; ron.muzzall@leg.wa.gov; joe.nguyen@leg.wa.gov; twina.nobles@leg.wa.gov; mike.padden@leg.wa.gov; jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov; emily.randall@leg.wa.gov; ann.rivers@leg.wa.gov; june.robinson@leg.wa.gov; christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov; rebecca.saldana@leg.wa.gov; jesse.salomon@leg.wa.gov; mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov; sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; nikki.torres@leg.wa.gov; yasmin.trudeau@leg.wa.gov; javier.valdez@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; keith.wagoner@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; lisa.wellman@leg.wa.gov; claire.wilson@leg.wa.gov; jeff.wilson@leg.wa.gov; lynda.wilson@leg.wa.gov

The lieutenant governor, Denny Heck, is President of the Washington state senate, so he should get a copy of your remarks as well.  His email is ltgov@ltgov.wa.gov

Gun Control - Protect the gun industry -- Oppose SB 5078

On January 31st, the Senate Ways & Means Committee will hear Senate Bill 5078, to allow anti-gun zealots to bankrupt the firearm industry with frivolous lawsuits. Please contact committee members and ask them to OPPOSE SB 5078.

The National Rifle Association is helping fight this hot rush to oppression.  Click here for the NRA Action link.

Second Amendment supporters are encouraged to oppose SB 5078 by taking their position for the legislative record and with in-person, remote, or written testimony.  Click here to take present your opposition directly to the state legislative committee. 

If Senate Bill 5078 is enacted. it will undermine the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and subject licensed firearm manufacturers and sellers to frivolous lawsuits brought to recover damages for the criminal misuse of their products.

Protecting the firearms industry, like other lawful industries, is necessary because our legal system generally does not punish anyone for the criminal actions of others. This bill plainly seeks to sue the firearms industry out of existence in the state of Washington. 

The firearms industry supplies thousands of jobs in Washington state.  The excise tax on the sale and purchase of firearms, ammunition, and accessories produces millions of dollars for conservation in our state. This bill will eliminate thousands of jobs and deprive the state of millions of dollars annually.

But mainly SB5078 is an attack on our right to be armed, whether for self-defense or to underwrite democracy in our state. 

It is apparent the sole purpose of this bill is to expose a law abiding industry to lawsuit.  This will cause the industry to be punished for acts they did not do.  This is in violation of the foundation of good law: that only the guilty should be punished.  Also it makes no sense. Therefor it will be used to terrorize the innocent.

The state legislature has an obligation not to complicate self-defense.

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Also a current read WA Gun control bill - waiting periods and mandatory training

WA Gun control bill - waiting periods and mandatory training

There are more gun control bills in the Washington state legislature -- these bills must fail, because the state legislature is obliged not to endanger the life or safety of the people.  Despite the sophistry of language, both of these bills would make us less safe.

Senate Bill 5232 requires an individual to ask government permission to exercise a constitutionally protected right. This bill impedes an individual's right to acquire firearms unless they complete official, sanctioned training every five years to obtain and maintain a permit. It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer, or indefinite, if the state fails to complete background checks during that time.

On February 2nd, the Senate Law and Justice Committee will hear Senate Bill 5232 which imposes a firearm permit requirement, creates a 10-day waiting period scheme, and allows indefinite delays on firearm transfers. Please contact committee members and ask them to oppose SB 5232.

The National Rifle Association is helping us.  You can go to the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action page at https://act.nraila.org/campaign/44513/ to ask the Committee to oppose SB 5232 Firearm Permit & Waiting Period.

If you want to remark on this bill directly to the Senate committee, you have four options (links are embedded in the text).

• You could testify in person during the hearing
• You could testify remotely
• You could make your position noted for the legislative record
• You could submit written testimony
  

Or you can double your impact and comment through NRA link and also comment directly to the committee. 

The companion in the House is House Bill 1143.  The House bill is not scheduled HB 1143 for hearing yet. 

The Left are trying to shove this gun control bill quietly through the legislature.  Let us stop them. 

Both the Senate and House bills are at the request of governor Inslee.

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Also see Protect the gun industry -- oppose SB 5078

Rent control bills in the Washington Legislature

Price control has always created a loss of supply.  Rent control will work the same way.  Housing would become more rare and more people would be unable to find housing, even though the price might be "controlled." 

Under these bills, rent increases would be limited to cost of maintenance increases.  The effect of general inflation is ignored.  Thus there is no reason to provide housing.  The rental 'stock' supply will decrease.  Over time, rentals will be sold as private dwellings, or the rental will simply wear out, and the rental supply will shrink even further.  This effect is always seen first among small landlords.

The authoritarian Democrats are complicit in the rental supply problem.  They continue to restrict rental availability by zoning regulation. 

What good is cheap if the house isn't available?

Rent Control bills are headed to hearing Tuesday January 24th at 4PPM.

These links take you to videos that explain the effect of these bills:

HB 1388 - https://youtu.be/bsV9ELslvb0

• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

HB 1389 - https://youtu.be/kziGM6hgLi8

• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

 

Please note that you must sign in 1 hour before the hearing to testify or provide position to be placed on legislative record. After the hearing, you have 24 hours to submit written testimony.

 

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The Washington Landlord Association provided the following information about the negative effects this bill would have.

Please oppose HB 1388 & HB 1389 – Rent Control Bills

Tuesday, January 24 at 4:00 p.m.

 

Come to Olympia to oppose Rent Control bills – HB 1388 & HB 1389

HB 1388 Residential rent practices - Testimony

• Testify in-person, click here
• Testify virtually, click here
• To Submit written testimony, click here
• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

HB 1389 Residential rent increases - Testimony

• Testify in-person, click here
• Testify virtually, click here
• To Submit written testimony, click here
• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

Please note that you must sign in 1 hour before the hearing to testify or provide position to be placed on legislative record. After the hearing, you have 24 hours to submit written testimony.

 

HB 1388  – Protecting tenants by prohibiting predatory residential rent practices and by applying the consumer protection act to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act.

• A landlord may not rent or seek to rent a dwelling unit at an excessive rent if such rent increase is not justified by costs necessary to maintain the dwelling unit.
• A landlord may not charge a higher rent or include terms of payment that are more burdensome to a tenant for a month-to-month rental agreement than for a rental agreement where the term is greater than month-to-month, or vice versa
• A landlord may not charge a tenant move-in fees or security deposits before a tenant takes possession of a dwelling unit that exceed one month’s rent.
• $25,000 per violation. Additional civil penalties may not be assessed for the same violation under the consumer protection act pursuant to RCW 19.86.140.12
• A tenant can be awarded damages equal to three months of the unlawful higher rent or charges that the tenant paid, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in bringing the action.
• Defines “Excessive rent” as a rent increase during any 12-month period that is greater than the rate of inflation up to 7% percent above the existing rent.
• The Attorney General is given authority to prosecute and provide a cease-and-desist order.
• The Attorney General would have until July 2024 to post the bill in 10 languages on its website.

Sponsors:  Representatives: Macri, Ramel, Peterson, Thai, Gregerson, Hackney, Ormsby, Alvarado, Doglio, Cortes, Riccelli, Mena, Kloba, Bateman, Fitzgibbon, Street, Taylor, Lekanoff, Simmons, Farivar, Pollet, Stonier, Berry, Reed, Bergquist, Morgan, Davis, Santos, Chopp, Reeves, Stearns, Fosse

 

TVW:  House Housing Committee

Hearing: Tuesday, January 24 at 4:00 p.m.

 

• Testify in-person, click here
• Testify virtually, click here
• To Submit written testimony, click here
• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

 

HB 1389 – Concerning residential rent increases under the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act.

• A landlord may not increase the rent for a month-to-month tenancy or a tenancy with a term greater than month-to-month:
• During the first 12 months after the tenancy begins; in an amount greater than the rate of inflation or 3%, whichever is greater, up to a maximum of 7% above the existing rent.
• If a landlord increases the rent above the amount allowed, the landlord must include facts supporting the exemption claimed in the notice.
• Exemptions include federally subsidized housing such as Section 8, and houses built within the last 10 years.
• Other justification but still limited to 4-7% increase include improvements to the property, significant hardship to be approved by the Dept of Commerce (which needs to be granted prior and attached to the increase notice); and banked capacity program as defined by this bill an additional 3% a year, or banked capacity plus 3% a year. This requires annual notice prior to new tenants to participate in the program including current banked capacity.
• If the tenant is evicted the rent increase for the property is limited to 3%
• New owners of a property may not increase rent beyond what the original landlord could.
• The Department of commerce will list the maximum calculated rent increase percentage for any given year on its website by September 30th, 2023.
• Annual notices to current and prospective tenants of rent increases and future possible rent increases. The bill provides the format of the new annual notice requirement.

Sponsors:  Representatives: Ramel, Macri, Peterson, Duerr, Gregerson, Alvarado, Ormsby, Doglio, Riccelli, Cortes, Mena, Thai, Kloba, Bateman, Street, Taylor, Lekanoff, Simmons, Farivar, Pollet, Stonier, Berry, Reed, Bergquist, Davis, Santos, Senn, Reeves, Stearns, Fosse

 

TVW  House Housing Committee

Hearing: Tuesday, January 24 at 4:00 p.m.

 

• Testify in-person, click here
• Testify virtually, click here
• To Submit written testimony, click here
• To Provide opposition to be noted for the legislative record, click here

 

Please note that you must sign in 1 hour before the hearing to testify or provide position to be placed on legislative record. After the hearing, you have 24 hours to submit written testimony.

Washington state legislature gun control bills

House and Senate committees are set to hear anti-gun bills on Tuesday the 17^th.

The 2023 session is still in its first week and anti-gun lawmakers are wasting no time scheduling bill hearings to keep attacking your rights. On Tuesday, January 17^th, the Senate Law and Justice Committee, and the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, will hear anti-gun bills. The Committees are scheduled at the same time, on the same day, making your ability to participate in both increasingly difficult. The National Rifle Association provided a link where you can contact everyone at once -- please click HERE to contact committee members and ask them to oppose these bills.

Senate Law & Justice Committee at 10:30AM on January 17^th

Senate Bill 5078 aims to undermine the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and subject licensed firearm manufacturers and sellers to frivolous lawsuits brought to recover damages for the criminal misuse of their products. Protecting the firearms industry, like other lawful industries, is necessary because our legal system generally does not punish anyone for the criminal actions of others. This bill simply seeks to sue the firearms industry out of existence in the state of Washington.

House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee at 10:30AM on January 17^th

House Bill 1178 repeals Washington’s preemption statute, which gives the state legislature the primary authority to regulate firearms. This bill passes that authority to localities to pass their own anti-gun ordinances. This will inevitably lead to a confusing patchwork of gun laws springing up across the state and citizens not having the same Second Amendment rights across the whole state. The result could be that an individual could be within their rights in obeying the law in the county in which they are currently present, but should they cross over the invisible county line 10 yards away, they become a felon under that county's firearms laws.

House Bill 1143 denies law-abiding citizens their Second Amendment right to acquire firearms unless they obtain a government-issued permit. The permit is only valid for five years and to obtain the permit, requires completion of official, sanctioned firearms training every five years. It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer or indefinite if the state fails to complete background check during that time.

House Bill 1144 requires an individual to ask government permission to exercise a constitutionally protected right. This bill impedes an individual's right to acquire firearms unless they complete official, sanctioned training every five years. It also imposes an arbitrary ten-day delay on prospective gun owners taking possession of their firearms and makes this delay longer or indefinite if the state fails to complete background checks during that time.

House Bill 1240 is a comprehensive ban on transferring, importing, and manufacturing many semi-automatic firearms that law-abiding citizens commonly-own for self-defense, competition, and recreation. It bans enumerated firearm models on a list, semi-automatic rifles with an overall length of less than 30 inches, and any firearms with one or more proscribed features that exist on modern designs for making firearms more user-friendly, such as telescoping stocks meant to adjust the length of pull for users of different statures or wearing different clothing, muzzle brakes meant to reduce recoil, and grips conducive to the natural angles of human wrists. In addition, it also bans spare parts and “combination[s] of parts” that can be used to assemble banned firearms, but on their own are simply pieces of plastic or metal.

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House Committee members email:

drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov,
roger.goodman@leg.wa.gov,
Darya.Farivar@leg.wa.gov,
strom.peterson@leg.wa.gov,
jim.walsh@leg.wa.gov,
skyler.rude@leg.wa.gov,
jenny.graham@leg.wa.gov,
my-linh.thai@leg.wa.gov,
Greg.Cheney@leg.wa.gov,
amy.walen@leg.wa.gov,
debra.entenman@leg.wa.gov

If you decide to email them, here is some suggested text:

Please vote no on House Bill 1178, House Bill 1143, House Bill 1144, and House Bill 1240.  Keep Washington State gun law uniform, fair and straightforward for the citizens. 

The legislature has failed to keep violent crime from growing in our cities.  If you complicate our self-defense for the citizens, then the legislature put themselves clearly on the side of the violent criminals.

Legislature bill to reduce voting

The Legislature's House Bill 1158 would eliminate the people's right to review new tax bills.  The present system allows the people of the state of Washington to see new taxes the legislature has passed, and vote in an "advisory" capacity.  The purpose of the advisory vote is so the legislature can know if they have inordinately ticked off the people.

The bill summary puts it bluntly.  The bill

1. Repeals provisions that require legislative tax increases to be subject to
an advisory vote in which voters at the next general election may express
a preference for the tax increases to be repealed or maintained.

2. Requires that certain information about recent state budgets and state and
local expenditures must be included in voters' pamphlets in even numbered
years.

3. Requires the Office of Financial Management to produce fiscal impact
statements for enacted legislation that impacts state revenues. 

The bill is deceptively summarized as "Encouraging electoral participation and making ballots more meaningful."  All 22 of the bill's sponsors are Democrats.

Contact your legislator and let them know what you think of being "encouraged" in a condescending  way.  You can look them up by their name or by the district number.

The companion bill in the State Senate is  SB 5082.