GOAL Post 2014-4

FROM: GOAL [goalwa@cox.net] {Joe Waldron}
TO: undisclosed-recipients:
SENT: Mon 2/3/2014 5:15 PM
SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2014-4
Legislative Update from Olympia  3 February 2014

• HEARINGS ON INITIATIVES
• HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL
• I-591 CERTIFIED BY SECRETRY OF STATE
• NEW BILLS FILED
• HBs 2164, 2459 PASS OUT OF COMMITTEE
• CHANGE IN POSITION ON HUNTER ED BILLS
• FRIDAY IS FIRST POLICY CHAMBER CUT-OFF

Public hearings on the competing gun initiatives were conducted on Tuesday in House Judiciary and Wednesday in Senate Law & Justice.  The House hearing got all the media attention, with former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her former-astronaut husband Mark Kelly leading those testifying.  The overflow crowd of attendees had to be sent to the House chamber.  The crowd on Wednesday was smaller, but still filled more than just the Senate Law & Justice hearing room. 

Testimony in both hearings, especially the House hearing, was very interesting, and points out the difficulty we have in getting the pro-gun message across.  Almost all of the pro-594/anti-591 testimony was very emotional, consisting primarily of victims tales, with a few statistics thrown in.  On our side, most anti-594/pro-591 testimony was fact based, focusing on the difficulties in implementing I-594, it's near-impossible enforcement, etc.  Calm, cool and logical, just as we're supposed to be when we choose to carry a defensive firearm.  Unfortunately, emotion tugs at the heartstrings.

Unfortunately, a few individuals chose to exercise their right to openly carry firearms at the Tuesday event, and they're the ones who drew the media attention for the pro-591 side.  An interview with a camouflage-clad, AR-15 toting gunman beats a cold recitation of facts any time.  This is the kind of image we have ten months to overcome, or we lose. 

The prevailing attitude in Olympia seems to be that this is an election year, and controversial social issues are best left off the table.  At this point, neither initiative is likely to receive a vote out of either committee.  If the session ends in five weeks without action on either initiative, they both go to the voters in November.  And it's going to be a long campaign up until election day.

For those who were not able to make it to the hearings, they're both available on TVWashington.  Each runs a few minutes under two hours.  The 28 January House Judiciary hearing is at http://tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2014010151   The Senate Law & Justice hearing is here at http://tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2014010154

Testimony was also heard on HB 1561, by Rep. Brian Blake (D-19), a bill that would open the door to legal possession of short-barreled rifles.  Given the previously-stated attitude about staying away from controversial topics, getting this one voted out of committee is an uphill battle.  I would urge all of you to contact your legislators and ask that HB 1561 receive a vote out of committee and a vote of the full House on the House floor.

I-591 (pro-gun) was officially certified Friday by the Secretary of State.  Both initiatives will now likely go to a vote of the people in November.

Three new firearm-related bills were filed last week, bringing the total I am tracking to 45 (if I counted accurately).  This is a record in recent years, but will change significantly at the end of the week with the first policy committee cut-off. 

HB 2551, by Rep. Jason Overstreet (R-42), removes the ability of the governor or other official to restrict the use, possession , sale or transfer of any firearm or ammunition during a declared state of emergency.  Under current law, possession of firearms outside the home, as well as sale/transfer, can be prohibited.  Bills similar to this passed in several states following the gun confiscation policies practiced by New Orleans authorities after Hurricane Katrina.  HB 2664, by Rep. David Taylor (R-15), extends the right of self defense, or defense of others, to those threatened by animal attack, both domestic and/or wild.  SB 6416, by Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-19), is a counterpart bill to HB 2502, and allows immediate delivery of a handgun to full-time commissioned law enforcement officers, just as a holder of a CPL can take immediate delivery.

HB 2164, by Rep. Tina Orwall (D-33), passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on a unanimous vote.  The bill requires intervention training for juveniles adjudicated (convicted) of firearm offenses.  HB 2459, by Rep. Brian Blake (D-19) passed out of House Agriculture to House Finance.   SB 6199, by Sen. John Braun (R-20), prohibits incendiary targets or ammunition in certain circumstances.

As I alluded to in my GOAL Alert last week, I have received several from hunter education instructors asking that we reverse our position on the Hunter Education fee increase bills.  I defer to their perspective on service today as Hunter Ed instructors (my experience goes back 25-35 years, in California).  Effective immediately, the GOAL Position on HB 2459 and SB 6039 is now "SUPPORT."

Friday, 7 February, is the first policy chamber cut-off date.  Theoretically, any bills that have not passed out of their original policy committee, are effectively dead for the session.  Except that nothing is truly dead until the session is over.  A vote of the entire Senate or House can "relieve a committee" of consideration of a bill, and move it to the floor for a full chamber vote.  It's an unusual maneuver, but it does happen occasionally. 

My travels are done for the immediate future, so GOAL Post should be back to its normal Friday evening dissemination at the end of the week.  I'm also trying another format change -- placing the GOAL position on a bill on the same line as the bill status.  Theoretically this will make it easier to read.  I expect I'll get input on that as well!

BILL STATUS/GOAL POSITION:

Bill #	Subject	Sponsor	Status	Position
HB 1096	Juvi illegal firearm possession	Hurst (D-31)	H. Jud	CONCERNS
HB 1147	1st degree juvi unlawful possess.	Goodman (D-45)	H. Jud	CONCERNS
HB 1184	Range protection	Takko (D-19)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 1318	CPL renewal notice	Taylor (R-15)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 1371	WA Firearms Freedom Act	Taylor (R-15)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 1561	Short barreled rifles	Blake (D-19)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
SHB 1588	Background checks	Pedersen (D-43)	H. Jud	OPPOSE
HB 1676	Mandatory safe storage	Kagi (D-32)	H. Jud	OPPOSE
HB 1703	Gun "safety" training and tax	Jinkins (D-27)	H. Jud	OPPOSE
HB 1729	Street gangs	Warnick (R-13)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 1788	Firearms/school employees	Pike (R-18)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
SHB 1839	Background checks	Goodman (D-45)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 1840	Firearms/restraining orders	Goodman (D-45)	H. Rules	OPPOSE
HB 1908	Firearms on school property	Scott (R-39)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2020	Firearms-related jobs	Shea (R-4)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2164	Juvenile firearm possession	Orwall (D-33)	H. Rules	SUPPORT
HB 2324	Use of force	Shea (R-4)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2459	Hunter safety	Blake (D-19)	H. Fin	SUPPORT
HB 2475	Short barreled rifles/shotguns	Overstreet (R-42)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2502	Delivery to peace officers	Klippert (R-8)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2529	Sales tax exemption on firearms	Overstreet (R-42)	H. Finance	SUPPORT
HB 2551	Declared state of emergency	Overstreet (R-42)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
HB 2664	Defense against animals	Taylor (R-15)	H. Jud	SUPPORT
SB 5376	Juvi illegal firearm possession	Kline (D-37)	S. W&M	CONCERNS
SSB 5452	Stalking protection orders	Conway (D-29)	S. Rules	CONCERNS
SB 5478	Firearms/mental health court	Keiser (D-33)	S. L&J	CONCERNS
SB 5479	Safekeeping of firearms	Keiser (D-33)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5485	Mandatory safe storage	Kline (D-37)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5604	NRA license plates	Hatfield (D-19)	S. Trans	NEUTRAL
SB 5625	Background checks	Kline (D-37)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5635	Restoration of firearm rights	Darneille (D-27)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5660	Firearm safety education	Chase (D-32)	S. K-12	SUPPORT
SB 5710	Mandatory safe storage	Kohl-Welles (D-46)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5711	Background checks	Kline (D-37)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5737	Ban on sale of "assault weapons"	Murray (D-43)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5739	Ban on guns in parks	Murray (D-43)	S. L&J	OPPOSE
SB 5831	Prohibits double tax on clay pigeons	Rivers (R-18)	S. Rules	SUPPORT
SB 5956	Short-barreled rifles	Hatfield (D-19)	S. L&J	SUPPORT
SB 6025	Use of body armor	O’Ban (R-28)	S. L&J	NEUTRAL
SB 6039	Hunter safety	Pearson (R-39)	S. NatRes	SUPPORT
SB 6066	Restoration of rights	Honeyford (R-15)	S. L&J	SUPPORT
SB 6198	Range protection	Roach (R-31)	S. L&J	SUPPORT
SB 6199	Wildfires/incendiary devices	Braun (R-20)	S. NatRes	SUPPORT
SB 6245	Surrender of CPL	Dansel (R-7)	S. L&J	CONCERNS
SB 6416	Delivery to peace officers	Hatfield (D-19)	S. L&J	SUPPORT

Key to abbreviations:  S. = Senate, H. = House, Ag/NatRes = Agriculture/Natural Resources, Fin = Finance, Jud = Judiciary, K-12 = Education, L&J = Law & Justice, NatRes = Natural Resources & Parks, Trans = Transportation, W&M = Ways and Means

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" or to "goalwa@cox.net.".  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.

Upcoming WAC gun show(s):

• Monroe                  15-16 February
• Puyallup                 22-23 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 2014 Gun Owners Action League of WA

***

 I have taken the liberty of highlighting certain words or phrases, and making the style fit in more with the general style of the blog.  I interpret Joe's permission to reproduce the GOAL Post "
IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT TEXTUAL MODIFICATION" to mean I am not supposed to change his words -- which I have not.