An NSSF Action Alert came across TTAG’s Political Desk today, warning of a possible suspension in government services from the Evergreen State. Unless a budget is passed, services related to firearms sales, training, and licensing may go the way of the Dodo. NSSF’s alert follows . . .
Washington State Warns of Possible Service Suspension
Washington State is warning on official websites an inability to agree on a state budget could mean services supporting firearms sales, training and licensing could be suspended July 1.
Washington’s Department of Licensing posted a warning on its website of the possible shutdown or partial shutdown of services. It detailed the legislature’s inability to agree on operating and capital budgets that fund several state agencies, including those dealing with state firearms dealer licensing.
“If the Legislature does not approve budgets by June 30, several state agencies will go through full or partial operations shutdowns,” the notification stated.
Firearms dealers and gun owners have reason to be wary of the legislative impasse. Washington already has some of the most restrictive laws relating to gun sales and transfers. Governor Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) previously used log-jammed legislation to issue an executive order to tighten the state’s firearms background checks, collect data on firearms-related death and injuries and for state agencies to create reduction strategies for what he called “a public-health response to a public-health crisis.”
Unless the state legislature comes to an agreement by midnight on June 30, state agencies regulating firearms dealer licensing services will go dark or be reduced.
sounds like a good time to sue about suspension of civil rights.
Exactly.
Washington state turned into California so slowly I hardly even noticed.
It’s all those Seattle Tacoma fruitloops (e.g. Kshama Sawant) loving Socialism! (say it slowly in a Russian accent).
It’s the goddam Californians being recruited by the tech companies.
But Seattle’s gonna lose all that sweet $$ from the gun/ammo tax!
The state capitol is not Seattle, it is Olympia. Seattle already doesn’t get much money because of everything they have tried to do to stop firearm ownership.
This would only affect buying handguns.
It’ll also affect new and renewed CPL applications. Well, maybe not renewed. I know for sure it’ll affect new ones, cause they put new ones through the same battery of tests as a new handgun purchase.
Since Washington requires background checks for all firearm transfers and purchases, I am thinking that a government shut down will mean that no one can transfer or purchase any firearm from anyone. Am I on the right page here?
I emailed my local gun shop and they have no clue what will happen if this comes to fruition. This certainly would be an infringement on our 2nd Amendment rights.
I may be wrong but though Washington requires background checks on all transfers most of the actual work is done by the feds and local law enforcement. The state registers handgun transfers after the transfers are complete and I believe I read a report a while back that they were still working on registering transfers from two years ago. It may have no affect on transfers.
In Washington State all firearms transfers are required to go though the federal NISC system. So long guns, shot guns, and some hand guns will not be affected by the state shutdown. The reason I say some hand guns is because a hand gun purchase must go though extra back ground check done though Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and a 5 day waiting period. The 5 day waiting is the time needed to see if this person has a history of domestic abuse or mental health issues. A person with a concealed pistol license (CPL) does not have to do this extra back ground check or the 5 day waiting period. This is due to that one has already gone though the same back ground check when getting the CPL. So if you have an CPL you can take your hand gun with you that day just like a long rifle or shot gun. Makes the paperwork much easier too.
The licensing division makes money. How like government to not be able to decide how to spend money to also stop collecting it.
Oh, so fiscal mismanagement is now an excuse to curtail your rights. How convenient.
I bet this problem soon rears its ugly head in Illinois and California with antis saying “We don’t want to prevent you from exercising your rights but budget constraints mean we just can’t let you!”.
Okay, so I need to be hopeful that my northern neighbors figure out how to approve funds to better restrict access to their rights, man that’s California level of stupidity.
Yeah, this isn’t as direct an attack on gun rights as the article makes it out to be. I am specifically talking about the idea that the Governor is specifically doing this to attack the 2nd amendment There are a number of social programs that will be much more impacted than our 2nd amendment rights here in WA.
No doubt its a cluster frack here for gun owners at the moment but never attribute to malice what can be easily explained by stupidity, and we have plenty of stupid to go around here.
Are those “social programs” mentioned in the US Constitution? If they cannot afford their stupid licensing restrictions, repeal them and let just anyone buy, sell, trade, whatever, sort of not infringed.
Agree 100% but that’s not my point. My point is that the Gov isn’t doing this as a direct attack on gun rights in WA. Its merely a symptom of the larger issues and the social programs are going to be hit hard by the budget issues (which I think is a good thing). Otherwise the Gov would be cutting his nose off to spite his face as it were. But thats not whats happening here. Our leaders are just idiots who can’t budget and now we have a financial crisis developing.
I’d say maybe this will teach the bleeding heart libs here in the state a bit about staying within the budget but when it’s not their money they will spend like it never runs out. Its why we have the budget issues we do. But no I doubt they will connect the dots
We gun owners get caught up in it and because the system has been built to deny our fundamental rights they see that as a feature rather then a bug.
Sure glad we moved from there 10 years ago.really getting bad.
Indiana is looking better and better. Why the fuck did I move here back in 2002? Oh yes, the weather and scenic beauty. It sure as shit aint because of the liberal cunts of Seattle. So, assuming no budget, what happens when I walk in a gun shop and try to buy a gun?
The state constitution of Washington state specifically says that the government may not impede the right to keep and bear arms. Using a law to prevent private says by way of shutting down the government mandated background check off is a direct violation of the state constitution.
Now getting the SAF off their a*s off long enough to be of use… well that’s another problem in and of itself.
2A is my CPL if they shut down, I ain’t gonna worry. Courts that are closed will be clogged with much higher offenses than mine (concealed carry with an expired CPL that is only expired because the state offices are closed).
What? The firearms bureacrats went broke?
Not sure what the problem is…
Seems like it would not affect any sort of gun sales, except, possibly, to make them take a bit longer, since there are maximums on how long the gov can take to do their background checking before it is assumed to be ok. No budget just means that the gov never responds, so the gun gets sold.
Seems like this is more about licenses for new gun dealers, and CPLs, since those are the only gun related licenses in the state.
This year is the most tax dollars the state of Washington has ever collected. The governor has said no meals for elderly, fish in state hatcheries will die and no new inmates to state prisons. This is all because the liberals are not funding the schools that are legally required first. Its just to raise more taxes, but they have the most tax dollars ever. Also they just raised car tabs. Go ahead and raise taxes, its just going to put more votes for conservatives.
Tremendοus issues here. I’m very happy to look your post.
Thank yoս a lot and I’m having a look forwаrd to touch you.
Will you please droⲣ me a mail?