SBR bill making progress in WA

L

Lark

New member
HB 1561 and SB 5956 are both scheduled for hearings in Olympia next week. There has been a big grass roots push for an SBR bill for the last two years and it is finally coming to life. SBR's are legal for dealers, military and police (on duty only) and those few that were grandfathered in prior to July 1994.

Back in 1994 there was an AWB in the works. It got removed from the Youth violence Prevention Act but the SBR/SBS ban was left in to "reduce calls for major restrictions". A completely BS reason to ban future ownership of these guns to law abiding adults in my opinion.

We got the police on our side and the major effort in the bill is from the Democrats, not the Republicans; in other words it looks like a real winner! But we still need people to show up to the hearings.

The House bill hearing is in the O'Brien bldg on 1/28 at 1:30pm and the Senate bill hearing is in the Cherberg bldg on 1/31 at 8:00 am. Get there an hour early to sign up and speak your mind to the committee members if you can. There are several other higher profile pro-gun and anti-gun bills scheduled the same days so it could get crowded.
 
About a dozen people showed up and signed the sheets supporting the SBR bill and five spoke out in support. No one opposed the bill. Despite the lack of support from the people, hopefully the prime sponsor can get it pushed through.
 
Washington is an incredibly schizophrenic state when it comes to Firearms law/politics.

They've been Shall Issue for quite some time. Don't require training like neighboring Oregon.

They have two conflicting ballot initiatives before the legislature one passing expanded background checks even more draconian and stupid than the recent Federal attempt, and one prohibiting any sort of expanded BG check beyond what the Federal law requires.

They have a three county area that pretty much swings the whole state Democrat. And while Party affiliation isn't a universal indicator of position, it's generally close. Yet in the middle of that three county area are untold numbers of gun stores, and firing ranges. It would take quite all day and wouldn't be much fun, but I could walk to at least four gun stores, and two indoor ranges from my house in the middle of that area on one big loop.
 
The bill that made silencer use legal and the current SBR bills in the House and Senate are both primarily Democrat efforts. I-591 and I-594 are a direct result of obtaining a sufficient number of signatures to bring it before the legisalture and then to the ballot if it fails on the House floor.
 
SB5956 had an executive hearing yesterday and was voted 7-0 with a pass recommendation. Even the two Senators, Kline (D) and Roach (R) who had both said they would not support voted yes. Next is Rules Committee, then the Senate floor then on to the House.
 
SB5956 was pulled to the green sheet, next it will be scheduled on the Senate floor for a vote. Any WA residents that want to own SBR's again please let your Senators know how you feel about the bill this weekend.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5956&year=2013
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

This bill will restore our rights to own SBR; rights we lost in 1994 as a result of the misguided efforts to "reduce calls for major restrictions" by the bill (HB 2319-1994) authors. It will also ease restrictions on the police by allowing them to purchase SBR's for use as duty firearms and train with them while off duty.
 
" Despite the lack of support from the people, hopefully the prime sponsor can get it pushed through."

There was no lack of support from the public. Most of the people were stuck in the legislative building in overflow for the hearing and the ppl only had 90 seconds to say their piece.
 
By the time the hearings for 591 and 594 were winding down the entry hall into the hearing room had largely dwindled down. I got in at the tail end but was unable to speak against 594.

While the staff was reading the SBR bill report almost everyone left the hearing room leaving just a dozen or so to watch the remaining bills. I and several others spoke for the SBR bill. We are lucky that no one has ever shown up to oppose the silencer bills (2011) and the SBR bills (2014).

There were only about six who signed up for the Senate SBR bill hearing.
 
I would have loved to have been there, but I will definitely be writing a letter. Seattle is kind of a huge time and money investment for poor college students.
 
SB 5956 passed 47-0 in the Senate just now. Now it goes to the House. Time to see if Representative Jinkins will give it a chance. Anyone want to go with for a meeting with her?
 
The SBR bill is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday 2/26 at 3:30 pm. If there is anyone reading this who lives anywhere near Olympia and is interested in seeing how laws are made, please show up to support the bill by signing in.
 
I went to the hearing and watched Jinkins kill the bill. She had the executive hearing first (last of the session) then gave 5956 the public hearing. Without an executive hearing a bill is dead unless the Speaker of the House pulls the bill for a vote on the floor, and that is unlikely to happen.

lark
 
Yay for pigeonholing. :(

I guess I'll just have to live with my AR pistol instead of getting fingerprinted and registered in a Federal database. And it furthers my inclination to move 10 miles east over the border.
 
5956 just passed a few minutes ago 95-3. Jinkins tried to kill it in committee but actually spoke out in favor of it on the House floor. I watched it live on TVW.org.
 
Wait..... What? Does this call for celebratory gunfire? (directed downrange at paper, of course) Will Inslee sign the bill is the big question for me. I don't know the Governor's stance on this bill....
 
SBRs?, media....

I support the efforts of the 2A & gun owner activists in Washington over these new short barrel rifle laws. According to what I read & heard, a SBR buyer(applicant) would still need to follow all ATF/federal SOPs for buying this type of firearm.
Honestly, like a short barrel 12ga, a AOW, a surpressor, etc Im not really sure what or how this topic became such a major issue in WA.
Were compact rifles needed for hunting? Did a lot of WA residents say they needed SBRs for home protection? :confused:
I don't own any "long guns" at this time. A left hand Stag Arms M4 or Rock River Arsenal left hand AR in .300 AAC Blackout or maybe 7.62mm wouldn't be bad but I wouldn't think a SBR would be really necessary. The noise, blast & recoil wouldn't be fun. :rolleyes:

I saw The Yankee Marshal(who states he is in WA) talk about the new law/bill. He had a few good points. I agree with having this state law set a precedent for other state leaders & local politicians to set where they live.

Really Id prefer looser restrictions on SBSs(shotguns) than rifle calibers but so be it.
 
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