Fellow Washingtonians! WAKE UP!!!

Our Second Amendment rights are being trampled by our state legislators, if we let them get away with these latest laws that they're proposing. I once thought these were all "dead" but somehow they've been "resurrected". I was told most didn't pass committee. Evidently there's been some exception made for them to be reconsidered or not...

My whole problem with the first bill that made it past "muster" so far is not so much about the "inclusion of a charge on a list" as it is the definitions used in the particular charge that they're proposing to be included on the list of charges prohibiting firearms ownership. I served as a law enforcement officer in the state of Washington for decades and I know full well how the definition of "domestic violence" can be so fluidly interpreted and subsequently applied by the court, depending upon jurisdiction and "familiarity" with the "suspect" and/or the "victim".

Senate Bill 6298-2017-18 Adds Domestic Violence to the long list of charges that would prohibit firearms ownership. First, in this state "domestic violence" is very loosely interpreted by the respctive county judges even though there's somewhat fluid legal definitions of the "violation". And the reading and inclusion of the word "harassment" into the state's legal definition of "domestic violence" is troublesome, at best. This first bill up really bothers me because our rights are decided based upon independent judges' own personal interpretations of the word "harassment" and its application to the offense of "domestic violence".  Even though there's a legal definition provided we all know those legal definitions are subject to "interpretation" and are far too often determined to be poorly interpreted by the presiding judge.

Sooo- we need to get in contact with your local state senators and representatives and put an end to this bill. It's poorly written and I'm very nervous about the way it tends to partially hinge on the word... "harassment" and all variations of it.

Senate Bill 5992-2017-18 Concerning Trigger Modification Devices prohibits the modification of triggers in firearms, to include bump stocks. In my opinion it's poorly written and shouldn't be considered at this time, if at all. Personally, I have no need nor do I have any desire to modify any of my firearms triggers but then again I don't compete in shooting events, etc. I'm not going to waste my time posting anything more relating to or following this particular bill.

House Bill 2519 allows active duty military members and honorably discharged veterans that are at least 18 years of age to possess pistols and obtain a concealed weapons license in contrast to the current law that prohibits anyone between the ages of 18 and 21 to carry a concealed weapon outside of their residence. It's a good change in the law in my humble opinion.

Three other bills previously mentioned on this blog were defeated.

They included Substitute House Bill 1122 which was a horrible idea that required all firearms be kept in a safe or otherwise locked up and rendered inaccessible when not in use, House Bill 1483 which allowed for firearms confiscated by or forfeited to the Washington State Patrol to be destroyed. Currently they may be sold by law enforcement and finally, Senate Bill 5441 that would have required a "waiting period" for the return to the owner, any firearms  forfeited or otherwise confiscated by the state under the "Involuntary Treatement Act".

We're definitely not done here in Washington State but the defeat of these three bills helped. However Senate Bill  6298 and Senate Bill 5992 should be defeated as written. Both are poorly written and though I understand the intent of each they're not necessary. We have other laws in the Revised Codes of Washington (RCW) and the Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) that address most, if not all of the concerns so poorly illustrated in the two bill proposals.

Let's enforce the laws we already have on the books! There's no need for the creation of new ones.

Fellow Washington State Citizens determine your legislative district if you don't already know it and  contact your respective legislators and let them know your concerns. After all, they work for us therefore they should be representing us, as a majority. Here's their emails...

A shout out to the National Rifle Association Institute For Legislative Action for the timely and constant update on these bill proposals affecting our national and my Washington State's constitutional rights! 

IMHO

#