3 controversial gun-related bills in WA move out of committee
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Three controversial gun bills impacting Second Amendment rights are moving forward, but there’s still a long road ahead.
Washington state legislators took up three bills on Friday aimed at gun control measures.
HB 1163 is geared toward enhancing requirements related to the purchase, transfer, and possession of firearms. HB 1132 would enhance public safety by establishing monthly limits on firearms and the amount of ammunition a dealer can deliver to any one individual, and HB 1152 is focused on enhancing public safety by establishing secure storage requirements for firearms in cars and homes. All three bills triggered some passionate responses.
What they're saying:
"This is a bad bill, please vote no," one legislator said during the executive session.
Supporters of HB 1163 said this legislation would help strengthen the background check system by requiring a permit to buy a firearm.
"Requiring a permit to help keep guns out of the hands of people who threaten our community is our moral imperative here," one supporter said.
"We’re passing more laws that restricts firearm rights and we’re seeing an increase in violent crime in this state, so the premise that bills like this will make communities safer is questionable at best," one opponent said.
Eight voted yes and five voted no, making Substitute HB 1163 reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation.
The other side:
Supporters of HB 1132 stressed the legislation is trying to prevent the flood of firearms and ammunition to the unregulated secondary market where these weapons can get into the wrong hands, but opponents said the bill doesn’t work in certain districts, especially larger rural communities that have long traditions of firearm ownership. Eight legislators also voted yes, five voted no for this bill.
"In 2023, a gun was stolen out of a vehicle out of Tacoma every 57 hours and firearms were the leading cause of youth hospitalizations," a supporter of HB 1152 said. Some are pushing for guns to always be stored securely in all locations, but opponents said laws like this are already on the books.
"If people are stealing guns from cars more often than they used to, let’s focus on deterring stealing property," an opponent said Friday.
In the end, all three bills moved of committee with a do pass recommendation. While amendments to the bills were proposed and voted on, none of the amendments were adopted.
So, what happens next? HB 1163 will likely be referred to the appropriations committee. The chair will then decide if and when to schedule a public hearing. As for the two other bills, we expect more hurdles there as well.
The Source: Information in this story is from Washington State Legislature and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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