(The Center Square) – The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility has announced its 2025 legislative agenda.
The group lists seven priorities including a requirement for permits to purchase firearms, a tax on firearm and ammunition sales, and a restriction on “bulk sales.”
“Limiting the number of firearms and ammunition an individual can purchase at a given time is a straightforward approach to prevent gun trafficking,” said AGR in a Dec. 9 policy agenda memo.
Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms quickly reacted to the purchase permit and special tax items in comments posted by Dave Workman with Liberty Park Press and TheGunMag.
“No other enumerated constitutional right requires a permit from the government to be exercised,” Gottlieb told TGM. “Likewise, the exercise of other constitutional rights cannot be subjected to a punitive tax.”
In a Tuesday interview, Workman told The Center Square with Democrats firmly in control of the state legislature, he expects a heated battle over gun rights once again this session.
“I think they are going to push for everything they can and see what they can get passed,” said Workman.
“These guys are separated from reality, because they don’t seem to want to acknowledge that criminals don’t go through the process to buy a firearm,” said Workman. “They couldn’t pass a background check if their life depended on it, so they get guns through illicit means.”
Workman explained how the proposed permit process to buy a firearm would work.
“You have to go to a law enforcement agency to get the permit and you’ll have to pay that agency to do the background check,” explained Workman who suggested requiring a permit to buy a gun is unconstitutional.
“It adds another layer of paperwork, another speed bump to the process of exercising a right that is protected by both the Washington state and U.S. Constitution,” he said. “The Washington Constitution says the right to keep and bear arms to protect oneself, shall not be impaired.”
Renee Hopkins, CEO for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, said permit-to-purchase laws are proven as the single most effective policy to save lives and reduce gun violence
“All of our work in Washington over the last decade has been leading to this pivotal moment,” she said.
Asked about requiring a permit to purchase, AGR Chief of Staff, Ryan Disch-Guzman responded via email to say: It’s a mistake to assume that permit-to-purchase requirements have no impact on reducing illegal gun access. Experience and research show that when lawful sales are subject to better oversight—like verifying eligibility through a permitting process—fewer firearms reach those who aren’t allowed to have them.”
Other AGR legislative priorities include:
-Restricting firearms in sensitive places like parks and public buildings and letting local governments craft their own regulations.
-Requiring safe storage of firearms in homes and vehicles with safes or lock boxes.
-Holding dealers accountable for safe storage and maintaining accurate records.
As previously reported by The Center Square, a law passed this year and taking effect July 1, 2025, will require gun shops to install steel bars on the doors and windows and store all inventory in fireproof safes at night. It also requires the costly installation of more video cameras and the storage of weeks or even months of surveillance at a time. The burdensome regulations of House Bill 2118 have already forced some dealers to say they’re getting out of the business.
AGR also proposes an excise tax on the sale of guns and ammo to raise revenue to support gunshot victims and related services.
“All of these gun control laws are penalizing the wrong people. They’re not gonna prevent crimes and they’re not going to keep guns out of the wrong hands,” said Workman. “They won’t admit it, but all they want to do is add another layer of interference to discourage people from buying firearms. They never get enough and that’s why in the firearms community these guys (AGR) are recognized as a gun prohibition lobby.”
The Alliance said state Rep. Liz Berry, D-36th District, will be the prime sponsor of the permit-to-purchase bill. The Center Square requested comment from Rep. Berry but did not receive a response in time for publication.
