Washington State. (Dave Workman
For the second straight month in Washington State, the number of active concealed pistol licenses has once again climbed, recovering from a four-month decline that began in December and sent some alarm bells through the firearms community.
This news comes as lawmakers in Sacramento just passed more restrictive gun control measures to ratchet down on the rights of California gun owners.
According to the state Department of Licensing, May ended with 584,293 active CPLs in circulation in the Evergreen State, up from the 581,955 posted at the end of April. At the end of March, according to Licensing Department data, the number of licensed citizens had slumped to 580,362, which was a significant dip from the high posted last Nov. 30 of 591,366.
What turned the tide? Possibly a combination of things, but probably one of the main stimulants was the launch of another gun control initiative by the Seattle-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility. Gun control measures have that effect, even if they are not precisely aimed at concealed carry.
Initiative 1639 is aimed at depriving young adults of the ability to buy semi-automatic modern sporting rifles, even though they are considered mature enough to vote, join the military, enter into contracts and even marry.
But the initiative ballot title is being challenged in Thurston County Superior Court.
Meanwhile in California, the state Senate passed SB 1100, aimed at limiting law abiding citizens to one gun purchase in a month. Critics note that if passed, this measure will not prevent criminals from acquiring as many guns as they want, because they don’t bother with gun laws. The National Rifle Association is opposed, as is the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
SB 11 is sponsored by Sen. Anthony J. Portantino, with several co-authors including Sen. Nancy Skinner, Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymembers Mike A. Gipson and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, all Democrats.
This measure also raises the legal age to purchase a firearm to 21.
