Friday, February 6, 2015

GOAL Post 2015-5



Another week, another GOAL Post. 

Looks like I wasn't the only one who liked the format Joe used a few times last year, with the GOAL position on bills in line with the bill info. 

Again, I made minor corrections of spelling and formatting, and added links to the bills when they are first discussed in the narrative text.
Drang
***
TO: undisclosed-recipients:
SENT: Fri 2/6/2015 6:16 PM
SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2015-5

Legislative Update from Olympia 6 February 2015

  • NEW BILLS FILED
  • MISSED A COUPLE LAST WEEK!
  • TOY GUN CONTROL
  • "SAFE STORAGE" BILLS BACK
  • BILLS MOVE
  • PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED
  • TWO WEEKS UNTIL FIRST POLICY CHAMBER CUT-OFF
  • FORMAT CHANGE:  MERGING "BILL STATUS" WITH "GOAL POSITION" 

Only two new gun bills have been filed this week.  SB 5789, by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36) is the Senate counterpart to HB 1747, the "this does not mandate how a firearm is stored" bill.  SB 5831, by Sen. Jim Honeyford (R-15) makes minor changes to the procedure to have firearm rights restored after certain misdemeanor convictions. 

While on the road earlier, I missed a few bills that should have been listed last week:  HB 1442 by Rep. Graham Hunt (R-2) promotes expansion of firearms/accessories and ammunition manufacturing in Washington;  HBs 1594 and 1692 by Rep. Sharon Wylie (D-49) would ban the manufacture, sale or possession of realistic-looking toy guns unless they are made of or coated with some bright color to indicate their non-gun status; HB 1731 by Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-3) is the House counterpart to SB 5381, mandates a waiting period before a firearm held by law enforcement may be returned to the legal owner and that any complainant be informed that the firearm is being returned.

Toy guns in the crosshairs!  Not content to go after real guns, Rep. Sharon Wylie (D-49) has set her sights on toy guns as well.  She has filed HBs 1594 and 1692, both of which require all imitation (toy) guns sold or possessed in Washington to be made of some bright material or coloring to distinguish them from "real" firearms.  I guess Rep. Wylie isn't familiar with the real pastel pistols offered these days by some manufacturers.

For the 11th time in the past 18 years, bills penalizing gun owners if they fail to lock up their gun(s) and it/they are accessed by a juvenile have been filed.  HB 1747 (Kagi, D-32) and SB 5789 (Kohl-Welles, D-36) are the bills in question.  There are two significant differences in these versions of the bill from previous versions:  they raise the age limit of unauthorized access from sixteen to eighteen, and they cover ALL firearms where previous versions only addressed LOADED firearms.  The previous versions failed in several Democrat-controlled legislatures... these should die as well, but you can expect they will receive wide media attention. 

The bills contain a clear statement that "Nothing in this section mandates how or where a firearm must be stored."  True statement, as far as it goes, but misleading.  If you DON'T lock up your gun(s), and a minor accesses it/them, YOU can be charged with a crime.  That's the bottom line.  And while many legislators don't believe or choose not to understand it, one size of gun security does not fit all.  Everyone's circumstances vary, family configuration, maturity of children, security situation, etc.  It's not up to someone sitting in the comfort of the legislative chamber to decide for you what works for you.

The existing reckless endangerment statute (RCW 9a.36.050) already criminalizes a person who unnecessarily endangers another person with ANYTHING.  A charge of reckless endangerment was deferred in the 2012 Kitsap school shooting.  Maybe they should run a bill requiring prosecutors to do their jobs.  But what the bill's proponents want is a GUN BILL, that demonizes GUNS, ignoring the fact that unintentional gunshot injuries are far down the list of dangers to children (and others).  This isn't about safety, it's about politics.

(The next time a gun control proponents talks about "reasonable, common sense gun SAFETY" legislation, ask to see his or her firearms safety instructor certification, or even a gun safety course completion certificate.  They won't have one.)

Several hearings have been held on bills in the past two weeks.  Executive action (a vote) has been taken on a few, others await a vote.  Hint: a committee chair can sit on a bill and not hold a vote... ever, if he or she doesn't want to move the bill. HB 1131 (ivory sale/transfer) was passed in amended form and sent to the House General Government committee for further review.  SB5036 (use of body armor in a crime) passed out of Senate Law & Justice and now sits in Senate Rules, awaiting a pull to the Senate floor for a full Senate vote.

At this point seven bills are scheduled for public hearing this coming week.  Senate Law & Justice will take public testimony on five bills on Monday, 9 February, at 1:30 p.m.  The bills are SBs 5831 (return of firearms held by law enforcement), 5476  and 5539 (both exempt active law enforcement officers from the three-day waiting period on handgun delivery -- just like that enjoyed by CPL holders today), 5579 (exempts security guards from the I-594 background check requirement) and 5615 (exempts active military personnel from I-594).  HB 1731 (House version of SB 5831 -- return of guns held by law enforcement) will be heard in House Judiciary on 10 February at 10:00 a.m. and HB 1857 (allows confiscation of firearms) in House Judiciary on 11 February 8 a.m.

(If you can't make it to a public hearing but want to submit comments on a given bill, you can do so via the legislative web site, on the specific page for each bill.  Go to http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ place the bill number in the box and click on "search."  When the page appears for that specific bill, click on the green box labeled "Comment on this bill."  Keep it polite, make a point or two, and cut it off.  This isn't the place to vent -- you do that on Election Day!)

The first major cut-off comes in two weeks.  There are two weeks remaining before bills that have not received a public hearing and committee vote will die.  Given the number of bills yet to receive hearings and the limited time left, it's clear that the majority of bill will die -- technically, at least -- on 20 February.  You may see a few evening hearings scheduled as committee chairs try to cram bills in, but historically half or more of bills filed fail to clear to clear the first hurdle.

At the request of several subscribers, I have changed the GOAL Post format slightly.  Basically, I have merged the "Bill Status" and "GOAL Position" elements into a single section.  You can read the basics about the bill (number, subject, sponsor, status" and on the next line, the GOAL position on the bill.  I've tried putting all of it on the same line, but I run out of space. 

I've also been asked to prioritize bills, in support of or opposition to.  I can't do that for several thousand subscribers.  Each of you has differing priorities, differing interests.  You have to choose what's important to you.  If a particular bill needs special attention, I'll do that in the narrative above.

BILL STATUS:


Bill #
Subject
Prime sponsor
Status
GOAL Position
HB 1119
Hunter education issues
Blake (D-17)
H. Ag/NatRes
OPPOSE
*SHB 1131
Prohibits sale/transfer of ivory
Pettigrew (D-37)
H. GenGov
OPPOSE
HB 1191
CPL renewal notices
Taylor (R-15)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1193
Prohibiting gun owner data base
Taylor (R-15)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1245
Repeals I-594
Shea (R-4
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1324
Codifies castle doctrine and stand your ground
Shea (R-4)
H, Jud
SUPPORT
HB 1433
Modifies Gun Free School Zone law
Scott (R-38)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1442
Exp. economic development via firearms/ammo
G. Hunt (R-2)
?
SUPPORT
HB 1474
Defense against animal attack
Taylor (R-15)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1506
Exempts security guard transfers from I-594
Kirby (D-29)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1521
Returns NICS “delay” to three days (I-594)
Taylor (R-15)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1533
Exempts guns loaned to museums from I-594
Van Werven (R-42)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1535
Exempts active LEOs from waiting period
Klippert (R-8)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1594
Imitation firearms
Wylie (D-49)
H. Jud.
OPPOSE
HB 1692
Imitation firearms
Wylie (D-49)
H. Jud.
OPPOSE
HB 1713
Mental health/guns
Cody (D-34)
H. Jud.
OPPOSE
HB 1722
Short barreled rifles
Hayes (R-10)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
HB 1731
Return of firearms held by law enforcement
Ormsby (D-3)
H. Jud.
OPPOSE
HB 1747
Safe storage of firearms
Kagi (D-32)
H. Jud.
OPPOSE
HB 1857
Extreme protective orders
Jinkins (D-27)
 H. Jud?
OPPOSE
HB 1886
Repeals I-594 by popular vote
Hunt (R-2)
H. Jud.
SUPPORT
*SSB 5036
Penalizes criminal misuse of body armor
O'Ban (R-28)
S. Rules
NEUTRAL
SB 5241
Prohibits sale/transfer of ivory
Litzow (R-41)
S. NatRes/Parks
OPPOSE
SB 5381
Return of firearms held by law enforcement
Billig (D-3)
S. L&J
OPPOSE
SB 5476
Exempts active LEOs from waiting period
Dammeier (R-25)
S. L&J
SUPPORT
SB 5500
Allows retired LEOs to carry on school grounds
Roach (R-31)
S. L&J
SUPPORT
SB 5539
Exempts LEO’s from three day waiting period
Roach (R-31)
S. L&J
SUPPORT
SB 5579
Exempts licensed scty guards from b/g checks
Dammeier (R-25)
S L&J
SUPPORT
SB 5615
Exempts military members from b/g checks
Benton (R-17)
S L&J
SUPPORT
SB 5643
Mental health/guns
O'Ban (R-28)
S. HumSer
OPPOSE
SB 5658
Reporting of mental health commitment
Dansel (R-7)
S. L&J
NEUTRAL
SB 5727
Extreme protective orders
Frockt (D-46)
S. L&J
OPPOSE
SB 5789
Safe storage of firearms
 Kohl-Welles (D-36)
 S. L&J
OPPOSE
SB 5831
Restoration of firearm rights
Honeyford (R-15)
S. L&J
PENDING
 

* indicates change in status this week

SHB/SSB = Substitute Bill (bill amended in committee), HB = House Bill, SB = Senate Bill, H. Jud. = House Judiciary, S. L&J = Senate Law & Justice, H. Ag/NatRes = House Agriculture & Natural Resources, S. NatRes/Parks = Senate Natural Resources & Parks, S. Hum Ser = Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Housing, H. GenGov = House General Government & Info Technology

HEARINGS SCHEDULED:
SBs 5381, 5476, 5539, 5579 and 5615
 Senate Law & Justice
SHR "`1,"
John A. Cherberg Bldg
9 Feb
1:30 p.m.
HB 1731
House Judiciary
HHR "A"
John L. Obrien Building
10 Feb
10:00 a.m.
HB 1857
House Judiciary
HHR "A"
John L. O'Brien Building
11 Feb
8:00 a.m.

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 February
Puyallup               21-22 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 2015 Gun Owners Action League of WA 
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Posted by: GOAL
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