Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m. in House Hearing Room A, the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee will hold public testimony on Senate Bill 5078 with the executive session and vote scheduled for Friday, March 17. Gun-control advocates say more gun restrictions are needed for public safety, but SB 5078 does nothing to reduce violent crime and only cripples the firearm industry and the freedom of law-abiding citizens.
Senate Bill 5078 creates a special cause of action for individual victims to sue firearms manufacturers for the violent acts of third parties. This egregious bill institutes new policies and procedures that will make it nearly impossible to engage in the lawful sale and/or trade of firearms in the state.
Please use our take action button to email the committee and urge them to OPPOSE SB 5078 and not set this bad policy destroying the law-abiding for the actions of criminals.
Washington has been moving swiftly recently, below is the status of the bills continuing to move through the legislative process.
Pro-sportsman bill:
House Bill 1824 expands the availability of sweepstakes, raffles and other games of chance for nonprofit organizations to raise funds for important conservation, education and other important work. HB 1824 has been referred to the Senate Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade Committee. We will inform you when HB 1824 is scheduled for its next public hearing in the Senate requires action.
Anti-sportsmen bills:
House Bill 1234 requires an accused pet owner to fund 30 days of the cost of care for any animal seized and to continue posting additional bonds until the charges have been adjudicated. Failure to pay the cost of care, before proven guilty, would result in the forfeiture of the animal. Public testimony was taken by the Senate Law & Justice committee on March 9. We will inform you when HB 1234 is placed on the agenda for executive session and a vote.
House Bill 1143 requires a permit to purchase a firearm and institutes a 10-day waiting period before a person can take possession of their legally purchased firearm, or even longer if the state fails to complete the background check within 10 days. The state police will also maintain a “registry” of gun owners. HB 1143 has been referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee. We are waiting for HB 1143 to be placed on the agenda for public testimony and will inform you as soon as it is available.
House Bill 1240 bans a provided list of rifles, including many that used by millions of Americans for self-defense and hunting, and also goes the additional step of adding “features” of firearms that expand the list to hundreds more. HB 1240 has been referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee. We are waiting for HB 1240 to be placed on the agenda for public testimony and will inform you as soon as it is available.
Don’t forget to share this message with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen asking them to oppose SB 5078 and be ready for action needed on the rest of the bills continuing to move through the legislature.
