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.

~~~~~~~~

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. 

~~~~~~~~ 

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. 

~~~~~~~~ 

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.

~~~~~~~~ 

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.

~~~~~~~~

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.