GOAL Post 2012-2

From Joe Waldron:
GOAL Post 2012-2

Legislative Update from Olympia
13 January 2012

LEGISLATIVE CUT-OFF CALENDAR NOT YET PUBLISHED

PUBLIC HEARINGS CONDUCTED ON HB 1508 AND SB 5697

SEVERAL NEW BILLS FILED

PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR SB 6123

NOTE ON HB 2202/SB 6123 NRA LICENSE PLATE BILL

GOAL POSITION ON BILLS

LEGISLATOR CONTACT INFORMATION

The session cut-off calendar has yet to be published.  Under the cut-off calendar, bills have to clear certain hurdles or they are considered dead for the remainder of the session (with exceptions, of course).  The first policy committee cut-off should be around 4-5 February.  Bills that have not passed out of their policy committee at that point are theoretically dead for the session.

Public hearings were conducted on HB 1508 (range protection) and SB 5697 (state-approved gun locking devices).  The hearing on HB 1508 went very well, I thought.  There was solid testimony in favor, but the associations of counties and cities definitely did not like it.  Almost every bill heard by the House Judiciary Committee this week is up for executive session (a vote) next week.  HB 1508 is NOT on the exec list at this time.  Committee chairs have total discretion as to which bills are heard, and which bills receive a vote.  It appears that the public hearing may be as far as Chairman Pedersen is willing to let this one go.  That does not bode well for all the other pro-gun bills sitting in his committee.

SB 5697 applies to "official" firearms only, and has no impact on private firearms ownership, so I'm dropping attention to it at this time.  If it is somehow twisted to apply to the rest of us, I'll bring it back.

I'm also dropping from the bill status list all of last session's bills, until or unless they're brought back up in this session.

Several new gun or arms-related bills were filed this week.  HB 2347, by Rep. Bruce Dammeier (R-25) would allow individuals with CPLs or active duty military personnel to carry spring-blade (switchblades and some others) knives.  The current exemption only applies to law enforcement officers.  For those who have yet to discover the utility of a fast opening knife in a defensive scenario, these knives form a legitimate and sometimes critical defensive tool.  HB 2471, by Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45) is the NICS alternative "fix-it" bill to waive background checks for CPL holders.  HB 2481, also By Rep. Goodman (D-45) amends the current reciprocity statute to recognize CPLs from some states that issue carry licenses to individuals under the age of 21, but only of the licensee is 21 or over.

SB 6123, by Senator Brian Hatfield (D-19), is a mirror image to HB 2202, the NRA license plate bill.  It is scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Transportation on 18 January.  SB 6179, by Senator James Kastama (D-25) changes the definition of "spring-blade knife" to simple "switchblade;"  it does NOT grant an exemption to CPL holders.  SB 6272, by Senator Val Stevens (D-39), addresses the inherent right of self-protection and prohibits the state from tracking firearm or ammunition possession or intrusion by the state into the domicile or vehicle of an otherwise lawful citizen.

A public hearing has been scheduled for SB 6123, NRA license plate, by Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-19) by the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, 18 January at 3:30 p.m.

HB 2202/SB 6123, NRA license plate.  I first learned of this bill in early December on a visit to Olympia.  Getting a license plate specifically recognizing the National Rifle Association is a commendable goal,  And a nearly impossible one in the current legislative make-up.  Sadly, like it or not, "NRA" is a four-letter word to Democrat leadership in Olympia.  I suggested to one sponsor of the bill that it be changed to honor the Second Amendment in general.  This defuses the "NRA" issue and broadens the appeal of the bill from NRA members to members of all gun rights groups, as well as to those who belong to NO group.  And it makes it harder for the anti-NRA types to vote against a fundamental element of the Bill of Rights, recently affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States.  For that reason, GOAL's position on 2202/6123 is listed as "SUPPORT IF AMENDED."  This will undoubtedly be greeted with dismay by some of our readers.  But politics is the art of the possible.  A Second Amendment license plate stands a far greater chance of passage than an NRA plate, pure and simple.

The "GOAL Position on Bills" section will only list those bills filed this session or under active consideration.

Once again, here is the link to contact your elected legislators: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx
Just type in your address and links to your State Senator and two State Representatives will be provided.

(ADMIN NOTE:  I'll be at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas next week, returning home on Saturday, 21 January.  GOAL Post will likely be distributed Saturday night.  If any of y'all are going to be there, please stop and visit at the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) booth #16753)

BILL STATUS:

The following are ALL of the gun-related bills filed during the current 2012 regular session.

Bill #   Subject                                             Sponsor              Status
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.

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 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

SB 5697    NEUTRAL
SB 6123    SUPPORT IF AMENDED
SB 6179    OPPOSE
SB 6272    SUPPORT

HEARING(S) SCHEDULED:
18 Jan        SB 6123    Senate Transportation Committee
3:30 p.m.    Senate Hearing Room "1"    John A. Cherberg Building

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   14-15 January
Puyallup 21-22 January

"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