Friday, March 6, 2015

GOAL Post 2015-9

New GOAL Post.
List of bills that are still more-or-less alive is much shorter this week, and I've linked to each of the bills remaining in the table of bills.
***
FROM: GOAL goalwa@cox.net
TO: undisclosed-recipients:
SENT: Fri 3/6/2015 4:17 PM
SUBJECT: GOAL Post 2015-9
Legislative Update from Olympia 6 March 2015
  • FREEDOM AGENDA
  • BILLS LIVE, DIE
  • FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHAMBER CUT-OFF
  • PROCESS STARTS OVER NEXT THURSDAY
 I normally don't cover non-firearm-related bills, but I'll mention these two just once.  Two bills, part of the "Freedom Agenda" push by conservative legislators, have passed out of the House.  HB 1440, by Rep. David Taylor (R-15) prohibits the use of various cellphone collection technologies without authorization by a warrant, or consent by the cellphone user.  Among these is the so-called "Stingray" device, a cellphone signal interceptor.  HB 1639, also by Rep. Taylor, essentially does the same for unattended aerial vehicles (drones).  No warrant, no lookee -- or at least no entry as evidence into court.   1639 also creates a "cause of action" whereby a citizen may sue if he/she feels his/her rights have been violated.  Both reaffirm the need for a warrant before this emerging technology is used in collecting information/evidence from citizens.  

The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that the protections of the Bill of Rights extend to new technologies (as Justice Scalia did in his majority opinion in the Heller (2008) case, noting that the Second Amendment protects new firearm technologies such as "assault weapons.), but it's nice to see the state legislature reaffirm this principle.  On the down side, they allow exceptions for "emergencies."  The extent to which this will be abused remains to be seen.  I'm NOT adding either bill to the BILL STATUS column. 

All the action is still on the House and Senate floors, with bills being voted up or down.  An asterisk in front of the bill number indicates action taken this week, and the "Status" at the end of that line indicates where the bill currently sits.  Opposite chamber assignments are as noted.  HB 1731 has been moved to the House "X"-file, typically the holding pattern until next session -- an unusual move in mid-session.  The watered down Senate companion bill, SB 5381 passed the Senate and now sits in House Judiciary for the second half of the session. 

There are five days left until the chamber cut-off   -- Wednesday, 11 March at 5 p.m., the day all bills must pass their original chamber and move to the other side.  Despite marathon floor sessions, some bills simply won't make the deadline.  To paraphrase Matthew 22:14, many bills are filed but few are passed.  (Even those few are probably too many.)

Next Thursday, 12 March, the whole process starts over again, with House bills being heard in the Senate and Senate bills in the House.  They have to pass a policy committee, possibly a fiscal committee, then move on for a floor vote in the entire House or Senate.  Bills that pass without amendment go direct to Governor Inslee for his action -- sign, veto, partial veto, or allow to become law without his signature.  Bills that are amended on the opposite side must be returned to the originating chamber for approval or a conference committee.

BILL STATUS:



Bill #
Subject
Prime sponsor
Status
GOAL Position
Mental health/guns
Cody (D-34)
H. Rules
OPPOSE
Return of firearms held by law enforcement
Ormsby (D-3)
"X"-file
OPPOSE
Penalizes criminal misuse of body armor
O'Ban (R-28)
S. Rules
NEUTRAL
Return of firearms held by law enforcement
Billig (D-3)
H. Jud.
NEUTRAL
Allows retired LEOs to carry on school grounds
Roach (R-31)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
Exempts LEO’s from three day waiting period
Roach (R-31)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
Exempts licensed scty guards from b/g checks
Dammeier (R-25)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
Exempts military members from b/g checks
Benton (R-17)
S Rules
SUPPORT
Reporting of mental health commitment
Dansel (R-7)
Passed Senate
NEUTRAL
Restoration of firearm rights
Honeyford (R-15)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
NRA license plate
Roach (R-31)
S. Rules
SUPPORT
 
* indicates change in status this week

SHB/SSB = Substitute Bill (bill amended in committee), HB = House Bill, SB = Senate Bill, H. Aprop = House Appropriations, 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, S. Trans = Senate Transportation

HEARINGS 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".  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):
Puyallup            21-22 March
Monroe              4 April (Saturday only)

"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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