WA Assault Weapons Ban Legislation

[CP]

Response from Senator Kohl-Welles:
 (I can't get the link to work)

Thanks for your message as well as your civil tone in providing me with your reasons for opposing the bill. While reasonable people can of course disagree on legislation, and while I do still believe that some types of weapons may not be needed to protect one’s family, self, home and property, I understand why some are particularly upset about the bill as introduced. It came to my attention that there had been an error in the preparation of the bill relating to including the language permitting a sheriff to inspect the homes of assault-weapon owners which is not what I understood to be in the bill. If I had known that it was, I would not have signed on as a sponsor. Of course I should have read the bill in its entirety prior to signing onto it; however, I received a briefing on it without mention of the warrantless search language.

Here is what happened: 

1.            The bill was drafted by Senate Committee Services staff, using an old version of a bill introduced in previous sessions.  This version included language (not requested by the sponsors this session) allowing the sheriff to search a residence to ensure assault weapons were securely stored.  This was in Section 2 (5) (a). 
2.            Once the error was discovered and shown to CLEARLY have been a drafting error, and with approval by the Secretary of the Senate, the Code Reviser was able to correct the bill.  The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Rodney Tom, agreed to have the bill corrected to the sponsors’ original intent. 
3.            The Code Reviser corrected the bill on Friday.  If you now read Section 2 (5) (a) you can see the language is no longer included.
 
http://wsldocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5737.pdf


     Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Ranking Member, Senate Higher Education Committee
36th Legislative District
Washington State Senate
(360) 786-7670      (206) 281-6854

[Bob33]

"Of course I should have read the bill in its entirety prior to signing onto it;"

Of course. But you did not. That was your responsibility.

Since you did not fulfill a basic job requirement, I am left to wonder if this indeed was not a mistake, but intentional. You got caught with your hand in the cookie jar, Senator.

[bearpaw]

Hand all the way to the bottom of the cookie jar! 

Hopefully come election time her constituents will remember this. 

[CP]

So, all 3 of the sponsors claim that they had not read the bill 


The corrected version is here:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5737.pdf

It’s still a POS –

[Bob33]

She's taken a page from one of her role models, Nancy Pelosi.

"But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it."

Pelosi: we have to pass the health care bill so that you can find out what is in it

[huntinguy]

Sent my morning email.  Frustrating that the bad guys get away with breaking the law but the honest guys get tagged for it....



TO:      Senator Bruce Dammeier
     
CC:      Representative Dawn Morrell
Representative Hans Zeiger
     
     
SUBJECT:      HB 1371-HB 1588-SB 5737
     
MESSAGE:      I have just read HB 1371. I find it one of the few bills that I can support.

Washington State has so many opportunities for outdoor activates and legislation such as this would guarantee that generations of Washingtonians would be able to safely enjoy all this great state has to offer.

I have also read HB 1588. I find this bill incredibly destructive to the ownership of firearms and the actives that are legally enjoyed by many Washingtonians every day. The thought that I could not offer family and friends the opportunity for shooting, hunting and other act ivies that are to be enjoyed in Washington by the onerous restrictions placed on the individual is more than depressing.

After reading SB 5737 I am very disappointed in those legislators who penned and sponsored this bill. If one would read the description of the firearms one would find that many sporting arms that are not considered “assault weapons” would be included. A shotgun with a pistol grip stock, please look at the description of the standard Remington 870, one of the most used shotguns today (and the law expands the definition of “assault weapon” to a pump action firearm!)… It is described by the manufacture as having a “pistol grip stock” and as for the thumb hole; many a target rifle has this feature. This legislation is one of the finest examples of poorly written laws I have ever seen.

The legislation also mentions any firearm being able to accept a magazine of over 10 rounds. Any firearm that can accept a magazine can accept a magazine over 10 rounds - Again a piece of legislation that is poorly written.

There are more items within the last two bills that are poorly written, unless the true idea of the bills is to remove legal firearm ownership in Washington, to be commented on. Any person who understands firearms, hunting and self-defense would quickly see these bills will not make any person in Washington safer. They would only work to make the honest citizen less safe.

I am frustrated with legislators who enforce laws on law abiding citizens simple because they can not control those who would do us harm.

I would ask you then to support HB1371 and work to oppose HB1588 and SB 5737 and any of their variants.

Respectfully


 

[huntinguy]

Response from Senator Kohl-Welles:
 (I can't get the link to work)

Thanks for your message as well as your civil tone in providing me with your reasons for opposing the bill. While reasonable people can of course disagree on legislation, and while I do still believe that some types of weapons may not be needed to protect one’s family, self, home and property, I understand why some are particularly upset about the bill as introduced. It came to my attention that there had been an error in the preparation of the bill relating to including the language permitting a sheriff to inspect the homes of assault-weapon owners which is not what I understood to be in the bill. If I had known that it was, I would not have signed on as a sponsor. Of course I should have read the bill in its entirety prior to signing onto it; however, I received a briefing on it without mention of the warrantless search language.

Here is what happened: 

1.            The bill was drafted by Senate Committee Services staff, using an old version of a bill introduced in previous sessions.  This version included language (not requested by the sponsors this session) allowing the sheriff to search a residence to ensure assault weapons were securely stored.  This was in Section 2 (5) (a). 
2.            Once the error was discovered and shown to CLEARLY have been a drafting error, and with approval by the Secretary of the Senate, the Code Reviser was able to correct the bill.  The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Rodney Tom, agreed to have the bill corrected to the sponsors’ original intent. 
3.            The Code Reviser corrected the bill on Friday.  If you now read Section 2 (5) (a) you can see the language is no longer included.
 
http://wsldocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5737.pdf


     Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Ranking Member, Senate Higher Education Committee
36th Legislative District
Washington State Senate
(360) 786-7670      (206) 281-6854

So, lets get this straight, she did what her party told her to do then she got caught and now she is saying that she didn't read the bill so she is not responsible for what she did....

so what she said was, "Hey, judge, I didn't read the law saying I can't rob a store, but my buddy said it was okay, I am really sorry... let me go and I won't rob "that" store again. "

I don't think that would work in court... it shouldn't work in November!

[Bob33]

Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Ranking Member, Senate Higher Education Committee

Someone on an education committee who doesn't read her own bills. Interesting.

[CP]

The bottom line here is this bill is not dead. 

Even after removing the unconstitutional search language this bill still goes way beyond the federal Feinstein bill in applying the “assault weapon” label and subsequent controls to many popular firearms.  This would be huge step backward for WA.

Keep writing!

[Jekemi]

I spent some time this morning emailing all the State Senators asking them to not support SB 5737, which is flagrant violation of the 2nd and 4th Amendment to the Constitution. I urge you all to write them as well. It only takes a few minutes, you can use the same letter for all of them. This bill must be defeated.

[csaaphill]

My responces on this.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns regarding SB 5737.  Both the United States and Washington State constitutions provide clear and specific language outlining our right to own and bear arms.  Unfortunately, recent tragic events have caused some to call for a ban and/or increased regulation on certain kinds of guns and ammunition. 

 

I am a strong advocate of your second amendment rights, and I will oppose all efforts to erode those rights.  I believe we need to look at increasing sentences for certain crimes committed in conjunction with a gun.  I also believe that we need to address the mental health aspects of these crimes, so that we can better prevent those suffering from mental illness from obtaining and using guns to commit these horrible crimes. 

 

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me on this very important issue.  I appreciate hearing from you. 

 

Best regards,

 

Senator Mike Padden

[Jekemi]

Senator Kohl-Welles, as with so many of her ilk continue to trounce our freedom. Her statement, "and while I do still believe that some types of weapons may not be needed to protect one’s family, self, home and property..." is typical of the Left and their Government knows best philosophy. Who is she or anyone for that matter to tell me what type of weapon is suitable to protect my home, family, and self? As Ted Nugent recently said to anemic red-coat Piers Morgan, as he shredded him for his absolutely stupid and illogical positions, "Why don't you leave us the hell alone?"

We are the 99% of law abiding, free citizens who take our gun ownership rights with patriotic zeal and thankfulness. We are ever grateful to our Founding Fathers that wrote our marvelous Constitution and charged us with the responsibility of protecting that Constitution from the very tyranny that Senator Kohl-Wells and her co-conspirators are intent on perpetrating. Go ahead and send your brown-shirt thugs to my door, asking for my weapon and see what happens. We will not abide or comply with unconstitutional laws.

[csaaphill]

I never did say but in the bill I never did read you could still hunt with one either.
aonly in transport to and from a range. Guess anyone not belonging to a gun range would be ilegal.

[lokidog]

Hand all the way to the bottom of the cookie jar! 

Hopefully come election time her constituents will remember this. 

Yeah, they got caught all right.  They didn't "not read the entire thing."  Workman's interview on 97.3 made it seem like he was the only one questioning the 4th Amendment issues, which is just goofy as many on here have been talking about it for weeks.