Washington State bill mandates police searches of people who own semi autos

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Falcon642

New member
Senate Bill 5737 is your typical "assault weapons" ban. Banning semi auto guns with detachable magazines, 10 round limit, etc.

The scary part is the "grandfather" provision. If you already own a semi auto, you can keep it; but the Sheriff can inspect your home once a year to ensure that you are storing it safely.

Supporters are claiming that the search provision was added by mistake, but they say the definition of a mistake in politics is when you accidentally tell the truth.

Seattle Times story on the bill

Copy of the full bill
 
Yeah the Seattle Times is all over it. Has been for days. They're pro-control but also objective enough to be MORE pro-4A than anti-2A.
 
Looks like they revised the bill. I followed the link and I don't see anything about searches. And the bill says "Corrected Copy."

Looks like somebody got caught with his fingers in the cookie jar.
 
If they pulled that part out, the bill is a shell of what it once was... they were basically trying to go the UK route. It's illegal to have, but if you already did, you have to have a secure storage system, and the cops can come once a year and inspect it. They were trying to ban using a semi-auto without banning owning one.
 
It looks like the section on inspection has been pulled. Section 5 only mentions "secure" storage and restricts possession to the home.
 
IIRC, this is part of the current AWB in CA. Visits are not mandated, but CA DOJ can come to your house without warning, warrant or cause, enter and inspect the registered weapon and related "papers" They have the latitude to make a decision whether you "need" to have the weapon anymore.

I don't know of any seizures resulting from the provision, other than the SKS confiscations in 1997.
 
Dumb dumb dumb!....

Oh really?
Will the sworn LE officers be ethical or treat every citizen(not a felon or parolee) with dignity & respect?...

:mad:
 
Oh really?
Will the sworn LE officers be ethical or treat every citizen(not a felon or parolee) with dignity & respect?...
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You mean the LAPD that got in federal civil rights trouble after Rodney King and other events?

Or the Seattle PD that is CURRENTLY in federal civil rights trouble for a number of racism issues?
 
I don't live in CA, but I wasn't aware of this provision. Is it true that an official can visit your home like this??
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I'm not sure. If its registered with the ATF as an AW, I don't think they have the authority...
Anything with a bullet button is treated like a hunting rifle (no one cares)

The only ones I can think of is the SAs that were banned in 2000 but still weren't ATF weapons.
 
I don't know about your house, but ...

... If you are carrying a weapon in your car they can search your car to verify that the weapon is unloaded, in a locked container or the trunk, and that ammunition is in a seperate locked container. This can be done without any other reason, probable cause, or warrant.

They may not search the gun for a serial number. However, if they happen to see the serial number they may call it in to see if the gun is stolen. And if the serial number is accidently seen and is altered or scratched out you get a free trip to Felonyland.
 
Of course, you have to tell them you have a weapon in the car... and they don't ask that very often. WA does not have a duty to inform....
 
... If you are carrying a weapon in your car they can search your car to verify that the weapon is unloaded, in a locked container or the trunk, and that ammunition is in a seperate locked container. This can be done without any other reason, probable cause, or warrant.
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Kind of a "chicken and egg" situation, isn't it? How are they going to know you have a gun in your car until they search it, and how are they going to perform that initial search without any kind of probable cause or a warrant?
 
You could volunteer it. General advice is to hand your CPL over with your Drivers license so you don't have to say gun.
 
True, but in that case, would you even be subject to the "unloaded, in a locked container, with the ammo separate" rules? With a CPL, I would think you could legally have the gun loaded in your pocket and not run afoul of the law.

I'm still trying to picture the scenario described above where the cop could legally perform a warrantless search without any kind of probable cause.
 
A CPL won't let you carry a long gun around in a car loaded in most jurisdictions. And if part of the gun is visible, they now have enough to check.
 
Impossible to get a CCW in Riverside County CA

Many LEOs ask if you have weapons in your car when they stop you. If you answer yes they can search your car (in California).

If you have a CCW then the license should cover the loaded weapon on your person.
 
Just spoke with a friend in Montana, and she heard on her news that search and siezure (for guns on ban list of the new law) is happening NOW in Washington! She wasn't sure, but thought she heard it on CNN radio...

I did my best to set her mind at ease, and let her know that she was being lied to, either by the anti's claiming victory that they do not have, or someone trying to stir things up, from either side...

But here's the point, we have "news" across the country apparently claiming its a done deal, no matter what the real truth is.

Not a new situation, by any means, but a disturbing one, none the less.
 
Another article about bill(s) by Heinrich von Kline

from Pajamas Media

It was no mistake, since this guy used the same words in 2 previous bills.

In spite of the efforts of Kline, it looks like we are well protected from WA state seizing our military-looking long guns. In the link to the state constitution I found this:

SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. 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.
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OBTW my ex-wife was on the high school shooting team with the Mitch Rupe mentioned in this article.

Bart Noir
 
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