GOAL Post 2012-4
Legislative Update from Olympia 27 January 2012
FIRST POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF 3 FEBRUARY
NO NEW FIREARMS BILLS FILED
PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD
BILLS SCHEDULED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION
CHANGE IN GOAL POSITION ON BILLS
(Once again, distribution of GOAL Post is late. My excuse this time was the annual meeting of the Florida Sport Shooting Association, in Orlando, where I gave a presentation on legislative matters. GOAL Post 2012-5 SHOULD be distributed this coming Friday, 3 February.)
The House passed the proposed cut-off calendar shortly after convening, but the Senate only acted on Friday, 27 January. They amended the proposed calendar, so it must go back to the House for concurrence. What is a cut-off calendar? Bills under consideration must pass certain hurdles to continue in play for the session. Bills must clear their policy committee by a certain date, then pass out of the chamber (House or Senate) of origin before moving to the other chamber, where they go through the process again. A bill that fails to pass a cutoff date is supposed to be considered dead for the session. Supposed. However, exceptions can be made.
The first cut-off date for this session is Friday, 3 February. All bills must pass out of their policy committee by the end of business Friday or be considered dead for the session. Some bills must also pass out of a fiscal committee to continue in play. Most gun-related bills do not require fiscal action.
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The proposed cut-off dates for the 2012 session are:
3 February Policy committee cut-off (original chamber)
14 February Chamber cut-off (House bills must pass out of the House, and Senate bills from the Senate)
24 February Second chamber policy committee cut-off (House bills out of Senate policy committee, Senate bills out of House policy committee)
2 March All bills must have passed the second chamber
No new gun-related bills were filed this past week.
Public testimony was taken on five bills this past week. House Bills 2471 (firearm purchase), 2347 (spring-blade knives) and 2589 (unlawful firearm possession) were heard in House Judiciary, while Senate Judiciary heard testimony on Senate Bill 6179 (spring-blade knives) and Senate Judiciary heard SB 6123 (NRA license plate).
After a bill receives a public hearing, the committee chair may schedule that bill for executive action (i.e. a vote out of committee). Several bills are scheduled for executive action (session) this week. On Monday, 30 January, House Judiciary will consider voting on HBs 1508, 2471, 2589 and 2347. This is the only meeting of House Judiciary scheduled before the 3 February policy committee cut-off.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has four meetings scheduled where executive action may be taken on bills, but at this time, none of the bills under consideration are listed. The same is true of Senate Transportation.
After discussions with various legislators and legislative staff members, GOAL has changed its position on two bills: Senate Bill 6179 from OPPOSE to SUPPORT. While SB 6179 does not go as far as House Bill 2347 in expanding access to spring-bladed knives, it's still an improvement in the status quo. Changes were made to HB 2589, and the version of the bill as filed acknowledges our concerns. GOAL now SUPPORTS HB 2589.
BILL STATUS:
The following are ALL of the gun-related bills filed during the current 2012 regular session.
Bill # Subject Sponsor Status
HB 1006 Knife ban Appleton (D-23) H. Jud.
HB 1508 Range protection Takko (D-19) H. Jud.
HB 2067 Repeal of self defense restitution Hunter (D-48) H. W&M
HB 2098 Short barreled rifles Blake (D-19) H. Jud.
HB 2099 Short-barreled rifles and shotguns Blake (D-19) H. Jud.
HB 2137 Guns in vehicles Blake (D-19) H. Jud.
HB 2202 NRA license plate Takko (D-19) H. Trans.
HB 2347 Spring-blade knives Dammeier (R-25) H. Jud.
HB 2471 Firearm purchase Goodman (D-45) H. Jud.
HB 2481 CPL reciprocity Goodman (D-45) H. Jud.
HB 2589 Unlawful firearm possession Goodman (D-45) H. Jud.
SB 5697 State agency gun security devices Hargrove (D-24) S. Jud.
SB 6123 NRA license plate Hatfield (D-19) S. Trans.
SB 6179 Anti-switchblade knives Kastama (D-25) S. Jud.
SB 6272 Right to self-defense Stevens (R-39) S. Jud.
Key to abbreviations: HB = House Bill, SB = Senate Bill, Jud. = Judiciary, Trans = Transportation, W&M = Ways & Means
GOAL POSITION ON BILLS (see note in narrative)
HB 1006 OPPOSE
HB 1508 SUPPORT
HB 2067 OPPOSE
HB 2098 SUPPORT
HB 2099 SUPPORT
HB 2137 SUPPORT
HB 2202 SUPPORT IF AMENDED
HB 2347 SUPPORT
HB 2471 SUPPORT
HB 2481 SUPPORT
HB2589 SUPPORT (change from OPPOSE)
SB 5697 NEUTRAL
SB 6123 SUPPORT IF AMENDED
SB 6179 SUPPORT (change from OPPOSE)
SB 6272 SUPPORT
HEARING(S) SCHEDULED:
None
LEGISLATIVE HOT LINE: You may reach your Representatives and Senator by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Toll free!!! The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993. Also toll free!!!
1-800-562-6000 TDD 1-800-635-9993
OTHER DATA: Copies of pending legislation (bills), legislative schedules and other information are available on the legislature's web site at "www.leg.wa.gov". Bills are available in Acrobat (.pdf) format. You may download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe's web site (http://www.adobe.com). You may also obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc, in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573. Copies of bills may also be ordered toll free by calling the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000. You may also hear floor and committee hearing action live at http://www.tvw.org/ (you need "RealAudio" to do this, available free at the TVW web site).
By reading the House and Senate "bill reports" (hbr, sbr) for each bill, you can see how individual committee members voted. By reading the "roll call" for each bill, you can see how the entire House or Senate voted on any bill. The beauty of the web site is that ALL this information is available, on line, to any citizen.
GET THE WORD OUT: If you want to subscribe to the GOAL Post by e-mail, send a message to "jwaldron@halcyon.com". Please pass GOAL Post on to anyone you believe may have an interest in protecting our rights. Better yet, make a couple of copies of this message, post it on your gun club’s bulletin board, and leave copies with your local gun shop(s). PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO DUPLICATE OR REDISTRIBUTE GOAL POST PROVIDED IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION AND CREDIT IS GIVEN TO GOAL. I can be reached at "jwaldron@halcyon.com" or by telephone at (425) 985-4867. Unfortunately, I am unable to mail hard copy GOAL Post to individuals. Limited numbers of hard copies MAY be available at the Second Amendment Foundation book table at WAC gun shows.
If you believe you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail me at "jwaldron@halcyon.com" or "goalwa@cox.net" with the words "Unsubscribe GOAL Post" in the subject line. I will remove your name immediately. Keep in mind GOAL Post is also published on several gun lists. If you received GP via a list, you must contact that list's admin to unsubscribe.
Upcoming WAC gun show(s):
Monroe 18-19 February
Puyallup 25-26 February
"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."
Article 1, Section 24
Constitution of the State of Washington
Copyright 2012 Gun Owners Action League of WA
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