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Gun-Related Measures Abound In Washington Legislature

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From a proposed “stand your ground” law to a proposal to make it a crime to unsafely store a gun, gun rights and gun control measures abound in the Washington legislature this year.

Several other measures would amend or even repeal Washington’s new voter-approved background check measure. But that would require a two-thirds vote.

Instead, lawmakers are likely to say, ‘Let’s give it some time, let’s see how it shakes out, let’s see if police and prosecutors are having trouble, let’s see if real world examples come up of where there was a problem.’

That essentially becomes the argument, 'Let’s let this play out a little bit longer.’ Plus it’s hard to get that two-thirds vote.

Critics of the background check measure say it’s already created unintended consequences. The two-thirds threshold to amend initiatives runs for the first two years after passage.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."