Saturday, February 18, 2017

GOAL Post 2017-7



Bunch of bills died this week, alas, not all of them deserved to die.  

And, of course, we can see them again if the legislative session goes into overtime, or next year, or as ballot Initiatives. IMHO, the ballot initiative process in WA highlights the drawbacks of pure democracy, in that there are few if any safeguards built into the system. Also oligarchy, considering the regularity with which the legislature ignores ballot initiatives it dislikes. Usually those which attempt to reign in their power, duh.

***
FROM: GOAL WA <goalwa@cox.net> (Joe Waldron)
TO: undisclosed recipients
SENT: Fri 2/17/2017 3:09 PM
SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2017-7

Legislative Update from Olympia 17 February 2017
  • GOAL POST DISTRIBUTION ISSUES
  • NEW BILLS COVERED
  • POLICY COMMITTEE CUT-OFF PASSES, BILLS DIE
  • FISCAL COMMITTEE CUT-OFF NEXT FRIDAY
  • MOST ACTION SHIFTS TO THE FLOOR  
GOAL Post 2017-6 was published last Friday, but apparently did not receive complete distribution.

I’ve been publishing GOAL Post since 2000, primarily in direct e-mail format through my home ISP.  As the subscriber list grew, I broke it up into segments of about 200 names each.  Every Friday night during session, no problem.  Compose message, hit “send” button, and it magically goes out of my mailbox into yours.   Try wagoal.org or on Facebook its Gun Owners Action League of Washington.

Until last Friday, when all of the batches were kicked back, theoretically as spam.  I will continue to try e-mail, but I’m working on alternatives, among them, posting GOAL Post on the web pages of the Washington Arms Collectors and the Washington State Rifle & Pistol Association.  About 18 months ago, a friend and co-worker created a “GOAL” web site which I never paid much attention to, as he merely posted the current GOAL Post during session.  Unfortunately he passed away last year, and at this point I cannot access the site.   

Two more bills I should have been tracking deal with firearms in the broader sense, but do not come under RCW 9.41, our state’s firearms code.  HB 1270, by Rep. Harmsworth (R-43) encourages voluntary use of firearm locking devices by offering a tax saving.  A similar law waiving the sales tax on gun safes was passed nearly 20 years ago.  HB 1612, by Rep. Orwall (D-33) expands on the suicide prevention program initiated last year, and supported by gun rights organizations.  Both bills are still alive.

Tonight is the first major cut-off day, when all bills must pass out of their policy committee.  Those that are not moving forward are most likely dead for the session.  That’s about 2/3 of them, good or bad.   The “Bill Status” column below shows the current status for each bill we’re tracking.   Basically, if it doesn’t have a position in Rules or a fiscal committee, it’s dead for the session.

Remember, nothing is really “dead” until the fat lady sings, on April 23rd.  While rare, extraordinary action may be taken to revive a bill, or even file a new one.  

The good news is that Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s flagship bills banning and/or registering so-called “assault weapons” all died in committee.  They tried to salvage the registration bill in the House by watering it down, narrowing the definition of “assault weapon,” deleting magazines, eliminating the annual licensing, etc, but even that couldn’t get the required votes to get out.  Stand by for an initiative.  The House version of the safe storage bill DID pass, but in amended and watered down form.  It’s still a bad bill, as well as totally unnecessary – current reckless endangerment law already covers the topic.  Unfortunately almost all pro-gun bills died as well.

Bills that have a significant fiscal impact have an additional week to pass out of one of the fiscal committees.  That cut-off is next Friday.  Keep in mind this is the biennial budget year, and if they fail to pass a budget, we could be looking at one or more special sessions, as happened a couple of years ago.  

The next critical cut-off is March 8th, when bills must pass out of their original chamber (House bills out of the House, Senate bills out of the Senate).  If they don’t make the cut, they’re nominally dead.  Most action will be on the chamber (House or Senate) floor, where bills will be debated and passed… or not.  After March 8th, those bills that passed out of their original chamber will go through the same process – on the other side:  committee hearing and possible action, fiscal committee action if required, then into the Rules committees while awaiting a full chamber (floor) vote.

All bills considered on the floor are subject to a roll call vote.  Because of their numbers (98 members), the House does it by machine – a quick red-green machine vote, called the Christmas tree (probably the only politically correct Christmas tree in the capitol).  The Senate, with only 49 members, does it the old fashioned way – a roll call voice vote.

(To give you an idea of the magnitude of a legislative session, nearly 2,300 bills have been filed so far in this session.  As stated before, many are filed, few receive action.)


BILL#
Title
SPONSER
STATUS
GOAL POSITION:
HB 1000
Use of deadly force
Doglio (D-22)
DIED
OPPOSE
HB 1004
Possession of firearms/state of emergency
Shea (R-4)
DIED
 SUPPORT
HB 1015
Limiting restrictions on concealed carry
Shea (R-4)
DIED
SUPPORT
SHB 1100
CPL renewal notice
Blake (D-19)
H. Rules
SUPPORT
SHB 1122
Safe storage of firearms
Kagi (D-32)
H. Rules
OPPOSE
HB 1134
Assault weapon ban
Peterson
DIED
OPPOSE
HB 1181
Prohibiting handgun sales registry
Blake (D-19)
DIED
SUPPORT
HB 1190
Prohibiting handgun sales registry
Taylor (R-15)
DIED
SUPPORT
HB 1270
Encouraging voluntary use of locking devices
Harmsworth (R-44)
H. Fis
SUPPORT
HB 1380
Repeals I-594
Shea (R-4)
DIED
SUPPORT
HB 1381
Universal recognition of all state CPLs
Blake (D-19)
DIED
SUPPORT
HB 1387
Assault weapons background check
Jinkins (D-27)
DIED
OPPOSE
HB 1483
Allows destruction of forfeited firearms
Lovick (D-44)
H. Rules
OPPOSE
HB 1501
Illegal purchase of firearms
Hansen (D-23)
H. Rules
SUPPORT
HB 1529
Use of force
Ryu (D-32)
DIED
OPPOSE
HB 1592
Delivery of firearms to LEOs
Klippert (R-
DIED.
SUPPORT
HB 1612
Suicide prevention
Orwall (D-33)
H. Aprop
SUPPORT
HB 1725
I-594 check exemption for CPL holders
Koster (R-44)
DIED
SUPPORT
HB 1731
Certain exemptions to I-594
Jinkins (D27)
H. Rules
SUPPORT
HB 1900
Hunter ed funding/NRA license plates
Griffey (R-35)
DIED
NEUTRAL
HB 1933
Transfer of firearms at non-profit events
Walsh (R-19)
DIED
SUPPORT
SB 5000
Use of deadly force
McCoy (D-38)
DIED
OPPOSE
SB 5050
Assault weapon ban
Frockt (D-3)
DIED
OPPOSE
SB 5073
Use of force
McCoy (D-38)
S.W&M
OPPOSE
SB 5216
Firearm safety education in schools
O’Ban (R-28)
DIED
SUPPORT
SB 5268
CPL renewal notice
Takko (D-19)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
SB 5441
Involuntary freeze on firearm possession
Kuderer (D-)
DIED
NEUTRAL
SB 5444
Background check for “assault weapons”
Frockt (D-46)
DIED
OPPOSE
SB 5463
Mandatory safe storage of firearms
Palumbo (D-
DIED
OPPOSE
SSB 5506
Transfer of firearms at non-profit events
Zeiger (R-25)
S. Rules
 SUPPORT
SB 5552
Certain exemptions to I-594
Pedersen (D-43)
 S. Rules
SUPPORT
SB 5553
Suicidal, waiver of rights
Pedersen (D-43)
DIED
NEUTRAL
SB 5795
Mandatory firearm liability insurance
Chase (D-32)
DIED
OPPOSE

L&J = Law & Justice, Jud = Judiciary, PubSaf = Public Safety, HC = Health Care, H. K-12 = House Early education, Aprop = Appropriations, Fis = Fiscal, W&M = Ways & Means  “S” before a bill number indicates Substitute (amended).

PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED:   
No public hearings scheduled at this time, but in all likelihood HB 1270 will go to House Fiscal and HB 1612 to House Appropriations.

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" 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 March

"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 2017 Gun Owners Action League of WA

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