(The Center Square) – Republicans in the Senate Law & Justice Committee raised constitutional concerns Thursday about a permit-to-purchase firearms bill before majority Democrats on the committee pushed the measure out of executive session with a do-pass recommendation.
Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1163, which passed the House of Representatives on a strict party-line vote earlier this month, would require would-be-gun owners to obtain a permit to purchase firearms, undergo fingerprinting and a background check, and complete a certified firearms safety training program
Opponents argue the bill infringes upon constitutionally protected gun rights, and will cost hundreds of dollars and several weeks of time and effort before someone is able to purchase a firearm.
State Attorney General Nick Brown testified in support of the bill at a Tuesday public hearing before the same Senate committee, enduring some pointed questions from committee member Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn.
“I was a little disturbed by the AG’s response when I asked if this was an impairment, which is covered under our state constitution,” Fortunato said Thursday. “Clearly, it’s an obstacle to obtaining a firearm.”
Fortunato noted that there are 700,000 concealed carry holders in Washington.
Ahead of the bill’s final passage out of the executive committee on a party-line vote, other Republican committee members voiced opposition.
“I’ll be really blunt about this: I think this is a really egregious piece of legislation,” Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, said. “I can pretty much guarantee this will bring litigation.”
He added the cost of purchasing a permit and taking a gun safety training course is too much of a burden.
“The cost of the permit we’re talking about here is, we’re guessing, maybe $200,” Holy elaborated. “It’s going to disproportionately impact lower- and middle-income people. The last thing we’re going to want to have is people with a need for self-protection to have to go off-market and buy guns from inappropriate sources.”
Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Wooley, also spoke against the bill.
“Obviously there’s a philosophical divide between people who support this type of legislation and people like me who do not,” he said.
He noted that despite the Washington State Patrol taking on the burden of issuing permits and certifying gun safety training programs, assuming the bill passes, the agency has not testified on the bill.
“The agency that is primarily responsible to enact the policy was absent,” Wagoner observed.
Wagoner said he went to WSP and asked if it intended to show up when the bill comes up in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
“Their answer was ‘No, we’re not going to be there either,’” he said. “I can get my answers privately, but if that doesn’t raise a red flag, I don’t know what does.”
Another controversial gun-related bill is also moving ahead in the Legislature.
Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5098, which has already cleared the Senate, would prohibit the possession of weapons in locations where children are likely to be present, including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, state and local public buildings, and county fairs, making it a gross misdemeanor.
Republicans on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee offered several amendments before a final committee vote out of executive session on Wednesday, but none were adopted.
Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, said expanding gun-free zones does not stop gun-related crime.
“We are not stopping gun violence by disallowing legitimate gun owners at the fair,” she said.
The bill was given a do-pass recommendation along a party-line vote.
