Gun control efforts have shifted into high gear in Washington state, where almost a half-dozen bills covering subjects ranging from limits on gun and ammunition purchases to requiring permits-to-purchase were discussed during public hearings on Tuesday.
With solid Democrat majorities in both the state House and Senate, and an anti-gun Democrat in the Governor’s office, even the fiercest opposition may not be enough to derail any of the measures.
Gun control activists were out in force supporting all of the gun control measures, starting with a hearing in the House Finance Committee on HB 1386, which would place a tax on the sale of firearms, gun parts and ammunition. Proponents see this tax as a way to raise revenue to cover the costs of health care for victims of violent gun-related crime. Opponents of the measure argue that law-abiding gun owners should not be expected to shoulder these costs, nor should it be their responsibility to help make up for the state’s general budget shortfall.
It was during that hearing where Cheryl Berenson, who serves on the board for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, a Seattle-based and billionaire-backed gun prohibition lobbying group, acknowledged, “Guns do not work without ammunition. Making it more expensive to purchase ammunition and adding a higher tax on dangerous bullets will make it harder to access…by reducing large volumes available to traffickers on the streets.”
Essentially, the tax motive is aimed at making gun ownership prohibitively expensive, especially for citizens with low or fixed incomes, such as senior citizens, single parents and those living in high crime areas with limited incomes.
A hearing before the House Committee on Civil Rights and the Judiciary took up several bills, and all of them drew heavy criticism, especially measures dealing with the permit-to-purchase proposal and the limit on gun and ammunition purchases.
As noted by the Seattle Times, the controversial gun control measures include:
House Bill 1152, which mandates so-called “safe storage” of firearms at home and in vehicles. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Beth Doglio, an Olympia Democrat, who asserted, “When firearms are not stored securely, the risks to our communities, particularly to children, are undeniable.”
But not so fast, argued attorney Teddy Chow. He told the committee this legislation punishes the crime victim, not the perpetrator.
“Punish the thief, and not the person for being stolen from,” Chow said. “No such punishment exists when explosives get stolen, for example, no such punishment exists for those who have a car stolen (that is) involved in a crime. Why is it only for guns?”
House Bill 1132 would limit the number of guns and the amount of ammunition a person can buy in a 30-day period. Sponsored by Seattle Democrat Rep. Darya Farivar, who serves on the Judiciary Committee, it drew praise from anti-gunners but scorn from gun owners including competitive shooter Allen Ernst. He told the committee it is not unusual to go through thousands of rounds in a month when practicing for competition, and he contended placing limits on ammunition purchases restricts his rights under both the federal and state constitutions.
Farivar perhaps revealed her sentiments toward shooters and gun collectors, as well as ignorance about shooting competitions, when she observed, “The fact of the matter is that ordinary people are not buying 12 guns or 12,000 rounds of ammunition a year.”
House Bill 1163, sponsored by yet another Seattle Democrat, Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, would require people to obtain a permit-to-purchase from the police. More than one opponent criticized the bill for its basic premise, that a citizen must first get permission from the police before exercising a constitutionally-protected fundamental right. When supporters of the measure argued that licenses are required to drive or to catch fish, they were reminded that driving and recreational fishing are privileges, while keeping and bearing arms are rights protected by both the state and federal constitutions.
Proponents of HB 1163 included Alex McCourt, identified by the Times as an assistant professor and public health attorney for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. He testified via remote video that permits-to-purchase requirements can save lives.
The process for getting such a permit includes a background check, fingerprinting and taking a safety course which includes a live fire component. There are concerns about not having enough classes available to accommodate a growing number of gun owners in the state.
The only proposal to gain support from some gun advocates was House Bill 1118, sponsored by Democrat Rep. Tarra Simmons, described as “a formerly incarcerated lawmaker who said the bill could help people like her regain their right to own a firearm.” According to her biography, Simmons “suffered with behavioral health issues including substance use disorder. Rock bottom came in 2011 when she was sentenced to 30 months in prison.”
Her bill is co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Jim Walsh and Joel McEntire, both pro-gun lawmakers. Testifying in support of the measure was firearms retailer and rights activist Dan Mitchell.
