You CAN have your voice heard!
Three important bills are about to be discussed by the Senate Law & Justice Committee on 2/21 and 2/22, and we need to act!
More than 15,000 people signed in against the magazine ban! Let’s do it again!
Sign in AGAINST (CON) ESHB 1705 Untraceable weapons, ESHB 1630 Weapons/certain meetings, and ESHB 1169 Sentencing enhancements
IMPORTANT! Sign-in accurately, sign-in once.
Follow these easy steps to get signed in and have your position logged for the legislative record.
Note:
More talking points for these bills are listed below.
ESHB 1705 “Untraceable weapons” — making homemade, unserialized guns illegal, with NO grandfathering! Yes, your homemade Polymer80 or 80%-built AR will make you a criminal!
Please do one (and only one!) of the following:
- Testify live, remotely: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146756&caId=19733&tId=2
- Submit written testimony: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146756&caId=19733&tId=4
- Note your position (CON!) for the record: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146756&caId=19733&tId=3
ESHB 1630 “Weapons/certain meetings” — Bans guns at school board & municipal meetings and ballot-counting sites
More info here: https://www.q13fox.com/news/wa-house-passes-bill-banning-guns-at-ballot-counts-school-boards
Please do one (and only one!) of the following:
Testify live, remotely: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146820&caId=19737&tId=2
Submit written testimony: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146820&caId=19737&tId=4
Note your position (con!) for the record: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29877&aId=146820&caId=19737&tId=3
ESHB 1169 “Sentencing enhancements” — Lightens sentences for using firearms and other issues
More info here: https://auburnexaminer.com/senate-considers-sentencing-enhancement-reform-bill/
Please do one (and only one!) of the following:
Testify live, remotely: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29878&aId=146761&caId=19739&tId=2
Submit written testimony: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29878&aId=146761&caId=19739&tId=4
Note your position (con!) for the record: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=29878&aId=146761&caId=19739&tId=3
Please share this in every forum you’re in and with every gun store and range! We need EVERYONE to sign in!
You can print out the image at the top of the page and take it to the gun stores and leave it on the counter for people to take home!
Talking Points
ESHB 1705 “Untraceable weapons”
Making homemade, unserialized guns illegal, with NO grandfathering! Yes, your homemade Polymer80 or 80%-built AR will make you a criminal!
- Almost all firearms dealers are not set up for serializing anything, let alone firearms, getting your already owned privately made firearms serialized will be a nearly impossible task and will likely require significant expense for the dealer to set up serialization capacity and significant expense for the individual to pay for serialization.
- This bill’s definition of “frame or receiver” would make many firearm components not defined by the ATF as a frame or receiver into a component requiring serialization under state law, including nearly all handgun slides. This does not even meet the intention of the bill and could make nearly all firearm owners in the state accidental criminals.
- Hobbyist firearms manufacturing for personal use is an American tradition dating back to before the founding of our country. This bill effectively bans that tradition.
- Serialization can be a significant cost and require taking time off work and finding a firearms dealer who is authorized to serialize their already owned privately made firearm. Already built privately made firearms should be exempt from this law.
- With privately made suppressors and short barrelled rifles licensed by the ATF the serial number can be applied by the individual or by any engraver, not just a firearms dealer. Self serialization or serialization at any engraver should be allowed for privately made firearms.
- 80% receivers are unregulated in the majority of the country, banning law abiding Washingtonians from purchasing them without a serial number will not stop the flow of them to criminals, it will only have the effect of ending a hobby for many.
- 80% receivers without serial numbers are effectively banned in California yet they show up regularly in the hands of criminals. Washington will be no different.
- Privately Made Firearms are defined and regulated by the ATF and that definition is currently being revaluated. Washington State making its own definition and regulations while the ATF is updating theirs will only lead to state and federal regulations conflicting. The definition of Privately Made Firearms and “frame or receiver” should be up to the ATF.
- Tens of thousands of people in Washington State will unknowingly be committing a crime after March 10, 2023 as they won’t know that they need to serialize their existing privately made firearms.
This bill is another malicious action by the authoritarian by placing financial burdens on the working class and poor, even the homeless. Forcing additional fees, hidden taxes, to repair a firearm is worse than the actions of the Southern rulers post Civil War that forced literacy tests for newly Freed Black Slaves to Vote A young single mother (or father) who has carefully saved up for their home defense firearm, to protect their family, will now be forced to jump through hoops to make simple at home repairs. For all the expressed “we care about the homeless”, this will target the homeless with additional penalties for they will not be able to have a homemade self defense firearm to protect their body from rape, assault. Houseless who have been sexually trafficked, raped. Houseless who have been brutally assaulted for being in a situation for some, has been due to the economic crisis (part caused by Inslee and the forced closure of small businesses.)
ESHB 1630 “Weapons/certain meetings” — Bans guns at school board meetings, municipal meetings, and ballot-counting sites
- Restricting carry, whether open or concealed, in public meetings and school board meetings will lead to more firearms being stored unsecured in cars as they cannot be kept safely on the person. This will lead to more firearms being stolen and used in crime.
- Cities can turn any area into a no open carry area just by holding a meeting there. This gives cities a tool to effectively ban open carry anywhere they want including on private property.
- Prohibiting law abiding gun owners has never and will never stop evil people intent on doing harm. Most mass shootings occur where firearms are banned for law abiding people.
- During a significant portion of 2020 and 2021 concealed carry permits were not being issued or were delayed for months. For many people open carry is the only option they have as they wait for a permit. Banning open carry at a public meeting is also banning safety at a public meeting.
- Public meetings and public access to government meetings are a cornerstone of our democracy. Restrictions of access to those meetings are an assault on our first amendment rights and on the principles of our democracy.
- Restricting concealed carry of firearms by law-abiding Washingtonians properly licensed to carry at a school district meeting destroys puts people at risk and has a chilling effect on free speech. The single mother fearing her abusive ex may have to choose between her safety and attending a school board meeting if she cannot lawfully carry there. The abusive ex will not be stopped by a sign.
- Police officers have no duty to protect. Government officials get the privilege of armed security. This bill takes away the ability for people without that level of privilege to protect themselves.
This will target working mothers and fathers, specially those who are trying to be involved in their child’s education. Many who take mass transit, where legally with a Washington Concealed Pistol License (CPL); shall be forced to be defenseless, where an individual has been assaulted either on the transit itself, waiting in the shelter/at the stop, or walking to/from home. This shall endanger the lives of Domestic Violence victims who are trying to rebuild their lives, and their children’s, by demanding DV Victims to be defenseless either in the meeting or outside. This bill prohibits ALL weapons. And by all, even less lethal weapons that many who aren’t comfortable in using a firearm use. So, the stun guns, pepper spray, tasers are targeted and prohibited. Personally, [In my Ever So Humble Opinion] I have to question which legislator has a hidden agenda against an ex or a personal vendetta to exclude even less lethal weapons. This bill makes ZERO allowance for the installation of secured lockboxes at the defined locations. County and City Court houses as well as several of the jails know the danger that is present for victims and members of our community. Even King County Courthouse near Pioneer Square has secured lockboxes for CPL holders and other less lethal weapon owners.
ESHB 1169 “Sentencing enhancements” — Lightens sentences for using firearms and other issues
- The best way to fight violence committed with firearms is to properly enforce our existing laws, not reduce the penalties for using a firearm in the commission of a crime.
- This bill will send a clear message to criminals that the state does not consider using a firearm in a crime a significant offense.
- While the legislators fight to turn law abiding gun owners into criminals for a magazine that is one round too large, the same legislators are fighting to reduce the penalty for using a firearm in an actual crime.
- Courts have shown time and time again that any discretion will allow pro-crime judges to reduce sentences as much as possible. Just recently despite prosecutors asking for bail and there being video of the crime taking place, a man suspected of slashing a Seattle bartender in the face with a deadly weapon was released by the judge on his own recognizance.
- Using a firearm or other deadly weapon in a crime is one of the most serious offenses and should always result in the maximum sentence. Do not let these violent offenders back on the street sooner.
- Involving a child in criminal gang activity should be sentenced more harshly, not removed as a sentencing enhancement.
- Criminal gangs prey on children as they know if the children are caught they will face lighter sentences and that they are easier to manipulate by the gang. The adults responsible for this should have increased penalties, we should not be eliminating the sentencing enhancement for this vile behavior.
- This law will encourage adults in criminal gangs to use more children to commit crimes at their direction.
Another deceptive language titled bill which will penalize members of society who are not able to afford expensive criminal defense attorneys Discretionary sentencing has a racist, bigoted history in this country, as well in Washington State. This is nothing but establishment legislators labeling a legislative bill with a feel good high level summary where the internal language of the bill is dark, vindictive.
Join the Conversation
Your voice absolutely matters. We only win if you take action! This year we’re more organized and active than ever. How do we know? The anti-gun lobby is sending out impassioned pleas to their base, begging them to get more involved. They’re afraid of your voice. Let’s get louder. Let’s bring our friends in to make even more noise.
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