Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

Washington: "Universal Background Check" Legislation Must be Defeated

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Unfortunately, the rumors of more attempts at gun control in Washington have proven true. House Bill 1588, "universal background check" legislation, was introduced today by state Representative Jamie Pederson (D-43), Mike Hope (R-44) and 21 other state Representatives. This bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, where Representative Jamie Pederson is the chairman and Representative Mike Hope is a key Republican on this committee.

House Bill 1588 is the first step toward universal registration and clearly over-reaches and infringes on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  This bill would create a massive regulatory scheme and a huge burden for law-abiding citizens. It also would require that anytime you sell any firearm to a family member or friend, you will have to go through a gun dealer or law enforcement agency and pay a $20 gun tax, with no guarantee of timely processing. Additionally, while Concealed Pistol License (CPL) holders are currently exempt from having to undergo a background check when purchasing a firearm from a dealer, there is no provision in this bill that extends the CPL exemption to private sales.

Washington currently has strong background check requirements in place. Furthermore, it is already a federal felony for any private person to sell, trade, give, lend, rent or transfer a gun to a person they know or should have known is not legally allowed to own, purchase or possess a firearm. It should be noted that every year, tens of thousands of people fail to pass the background checks required for firearm purchases, yet only a fraction are prosecuted for providing false information. Before lawmakers begin creating more onerous rules and regulations, they should start enforcing the laws that are currently on the books.

Those who urge passage of so-called “universal background checks” fail to grasp the fundamental truth that this will only affect law-abiding citizens and not criminals.  Criminals do not obey the law in the first place. For more information on restrictions on private transfers, please click here.

The entire legislature needs to know how Washington feels regarding universal background checks. It is imperative that you contact your state Representative and state Senator TODAY and respectfully express your opposition to House Bill 1588. It is especially important for you to contact your state Representative if he or she serves on the House Judiciary Committee. To determine who your elected officials are and for their contact information, please click here. Contact information for members of the House Judiciary Committeeis provided below.

 

House Judiciary Committee:

Representative Jamie Pedersen (D-43), Chairman

(360) 786-7826

[email protected]

 

Representative Drew Hansen (D-23), Vice Chairman

(360) 786-7842

[email protected]

 

Representative Jay Rodne (R-5)

(360) 786-7852

[email protected]

 

Representative Steve O'Ban (R-28)

(360) 786-7890

[email protected]

 

Representative Roger Goodman (D-45)

(360) 786-7878

[email protected]

 

Representative Mike Hope (R-44)

(360) 786-7892

[email protected]

 

Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-27)

(360) 786-7930

[email protected]

 

Representative Steve Kirby (D-29)

(360) 786-7996

[email protected]

 

Representative Brad Klippert (R-8)

(360) 786-7882

[email protected]

 

Representative Terry Nealey (R-16)

(360) 786-7828

[email protected]

 

Representative Tina Orwall (D-33)

(360) 786-7834

[email protected]

 

Representative Mary Helen Roberts (D-21)

(360) 786-7950

[email protected]

 

Representative Matt Shea (R-4)

(360) 786-7984

[email protected]

 

TRENDING NOW
Federal Legislation Introduced to Ban “Gas Operated Semiautomatic” Firearms

Friday, December 1, 2023

Federal Legislation Introduced to Ban “Gas Operated Semiautomatic” Firearms

Joe Biden has long insisted he would ban what he calls “assault weapons” and has enlisted a motley succession of extreme anti-gun legislators to aid in that effort. Now, Senators Angus King (IND-ME) and Martin ...

Following Terrorist Attack, Israel Relaxes Gun Laws and Arms Civilians

News  

Monday, October 16, 2023

Following Terrorist Attack, Israel Relaxes Gun Laws and Arms Civilians

Following an unprecedented terrorist attack on civilians that indiscriminately targeted even the elderly, women, and children, Israel has loosened its gun laws and is distributing firearms to civilians. As of press time, the number of victims killed in ...

Virginia: Omnibus Gun Control Bills Filed Ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Virginia: Omnibus Gun Control Bills Filed Ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session

In Virginia, the pre-filing of legislation has begun for the 2024 session and anti-gun legislators are wasting no time in aggressively laying out their agenda. 

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Case.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Case.

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals ruled that Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License (“HQL”) requirement is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. 

Federal Judge in Colorado Insists There is No Second Amendment Right to Buy a Gun

News  

Monday, November 20, 2023

Federal Judge in Colorado Insists There is No Second Amendment Right to Buy a Gun

Honest people can disagree with the Founders’ decision to enshrine the Second Amendment within the Bill of Rights. They cannot, however, pretend that decision never happened. For much of the 20th Century, however, gun control activists ...

Canadians on Canada’s Gun Control Measures: Expensive, Ineffective, Political Posturing

News  

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Canadians on Canada’s Gun Control Measures: Expensive, Ineffective, Political Posturing

More than three years have passed since Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban and mandatory confiscation (“buyback”) of what he called “military grade assault weapons,” which was followed by a national handgun “freeze” ...

Seventh Circuit Strains to Uphold Illinois’ Gun and Magazine Ban

News  

Monday, November 13, 2023

Seventh Circuit Strains to Uphold Illinois’ Gun and Magazine Ban

At this point, gun owners and other productive Americans don’t anticipate much good news out of Chicago. On November 3, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit lived up to those expectations when it upheld Illinois’ ...

Kentucky: Senator Westerfield Expected to Introduce Red Flag Legislation for a Hearing this Month

Friday, December 1, 2023

Kentucky: Senator Westerfield Expected to Introduce Red Flag Legislation for a Hearing this Month

The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary is expected to hear legislation on "Red Flag" laws later this month as a result of legislation to be filed by Senator Whitney Westerfield (R-3). While an official agenda ...

Updates to ATF Final Rule on Stabilizing Braces

News  

Monday, January 30, 2023

Updates to ATF Final Rule on Stabilizing Braces

On Monday, January 30, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) published the final Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces” rule for public inspection in the federal register.

SCOTUS Bruen Decision (Unsurprisingly) Popular with American People

News  

Monday, November 20, 2023

SCOTUS Bruen Decision (Unsurprisingly) Popular with American People

When the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) released its decision last year in the landmark New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen case, anti-gun extremist organizations had a collective conniption ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.