GOAL Post 2012-3

From Joe Waldron:
GOAL Post                                                                           2012-3

Legislative Update from Olympia                          20 January 2012

     NEW BILL FILED

     HB 1006 MAY BE RESURRECTED

     PUBLIC HEARING ON SB 6123 RESCHEDULED)

     PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

     PUBLIC TESTIMONY 101

     MY LAST WORD ON HB 2202 AND SB 6123

     LEGISLATOR CONTACT INFORMATION

(My apologies for the late distribution.  I just got back from the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trades (SHOT) in Vegas.  Busy times.  But I spoke with a dozens of Washingtonians there, refugees from the snow, many of whom were WAC or WSR&PA members.)

The legislative schedule for the past week was turned upside down by the snow event. 

The legislature has yet to publish the cut-off calendar on its web site.  The first cut-off will occur at the end of the first week in February.  Theoretically, all bills that have not passed out of their original policy committee are supposed to be considered dead for the remainder of the session.  But there ARE exceptions.

Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45) has filed House Bill 2589 which appears to be a technical bill addressing illegal possession of a firearm -- technical in the sense that it rewords existing law.   Unless someone can give us a good reason why this change is necessary, GOAL will go on record opposing the bill.

While at the SHOT show, I was talking with a few individuals from the Knife Rights organization (kniferights.org).  One of them told me he was told HB 1006, a bill banning most knives with blades over 3.5" in length, may be resurrected during this session.  We'll keep an eye out for it.

The public hearing scheduled for SB 6123 (NRA license plate) on 18 January was a casualty of the snow.  It has been rescheduled for a hearing by the Senate Transportation Committee on 26 January at 3:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1. 

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bills 2347 (spring-blade knives), 2471 (firearm purchase) and 2589 (unlawful firearm possession) on 25 January at 8 a.m. in House Hearing Room "A."  Interesting how they skipped over HBs 2098, 2099, 2137 and 2481, all good pro-gun bills.  The committee chair has total control over which bills he chooses to hear. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 6179 (spring-blade knives), also on 25 January, at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1. 

The public is allowed, even encouraged, to attend public hearings and to volunteer to speak in support of or opposition to bills under consideration.  A sign-in sheet is available on a table just inside the hearing room.  You can sign in in support or opposition to a specific bill, and indicate whether or not you wish to testify.  Keep in mind time is limited, and the committee chair has total discretion as to who he chooses to call on.

Public testimony should be limited to three minutes.  Try and focus your comments on one or two points -- that keeps it short and sweet.  If someone else has already made that point, move on.  DO NOT criticize the motives of individuals on the other side of the bill.  Keep in mind that while you are likely testifying for yourself as a private citizen (you can't speak for an organization unless that organization's officers have authorized it), your comments will reflect on the gun-owning community as a whole.  Public hearings are recorded and aired live as well as being available for recall.  And the mainstream media like nothing more than to show the world how "radical" and "extremist" gun owners are.  Keep the camouflage for your hunting trips; you don't have to wear a suit, but attire should be clean, pressed and presentable. 

(I typically use the royal "we" in GOAL Post, reflecting the PAC's observations and positions on bills.  The following is my personal opinion, although several GOAL trustees agree with me.)

My (personal) comments about the two NRA license plate bills drew sharp attention from several GOAL listers last week.  This will be addressed this one last time unless the bills move forward.  If that occurs, we will reconsider our position.  For the record, I have been a life member of the NRA for nearly four decades.  I have worked with the NRA on a number of issues, including as Chairman of WeCARE, the political action committee formed in 1997 to SUCCESSFULLY oppose anti-gun Initiative 676.  I am an NRA-certified firearm safety instructor and a former NRA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC).  The NRA is the 900 pound gorilla in the fight to protect our right to bear arms, sharing that goal (pun intended) with several other organizations, national,. state and local.  (At last count, I am a current life or annual member of 18 gun-rights organizations.  And, for the record, I am a former paid employee of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation and the former executive director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and currently serve as their legislative director.  I am also a current or former elected official of five gun organizations, including the WSR&PA and WAC.)

While I have no problem with a dedicated NRA license plate in principle, I believe there is a better way to "show the flag" as it were.  That is with a generic "Second Amendment" plate.  First, it's harder for anti-gunners to vote against the Bill of Rights than it is to vote against one specific organization, especially the NRA, which many anti-gunners consider to be the devil (or worse).  Second, I believe broadere support will be generated for a Bill of Rights/Second Amendment plate than for one recognizing a single organization.  Third, I believe the revenues generated by a specialty plate could be better utilized keeping alive the Washington's unique self-defense reimbursement statute (the hunter education program is already supported by Pittman-Robertson funds and hunting license revenues).  While at SHOT, I spoke with several NRA officials, one of whom told me he believed the revenues generated by NRA plates in the half-dozen or so states that have adopted such a plate go to the NRA Foundation.  

The Second Amendment is what it's all about.  It was there long before ANY of the other organizations came along, to include the NRA.  ALL of them are committed to the preservation of the Second Amendment.  And that's where I believe our focus should be.  That's the last time I'll address this subject unless one of the bills moves forward.

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. 

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    OPPOSE

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

HEARING(S) SCHEDULED:

25 Jan        HBs 2471, 2347, 2589        House Judiciary Committee
8:00 a.m.    House Hearing Room “A”    John L. O’Brien Building

25 Jan        SB 6179            Senate Judiciary Committee
1:30 p.m.    Senate Hearing Room 1        John A. Cherberg Building

26 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" 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