Some of y'all are on top of these bills, and are great at articulating why we should oppose them -- and we'd love to have your help.

The Washington Civil Rights Association is looking for some "talking points" for these three bills:

ESHB 1705 "Untraceable weapons" -- making unserialized guns illegal, with NO grandfathering! Yes, your homemade Polymer80 or 80%-built AR will make you a criminal!
ESHB 1630 "Weapons/certain meetings" -- Bans guns at school board meetings and ballot-counting sites, more info here.
ESHB 1169 "Sentencing enhancements" -- Lightens sentences for using firearms and other issues, more info here.

Is someone able to put together some solid points supporting a "con" position on these, please? And quickly?

Feel free to post here, or PM me. Thank you!

Steve

For 1169 it's simple: according to both the bureau of justice statistics as well as the private media (NYTimes) 70-90% of homicides are committed by people with prior records. We already have a recidivism problem where a tiny group of people is committing most of the crimes and most of the murders. Letting these people out of prison more often will increase the murder rate. Local case in point, the Tuba Man killer got a few months for his first murder, and after he got out he drove to Bellevue and killed a second time. Our county prosecutor Dan Satterberg dropped the gun enhancement charge on the second murder for no reason and because of that the Tuba Man killer will get out in 2030 to kill again.

Keeping violent criminals behind bars is the only thing that drops the violent crime and murder rate. Washington state became the first state in the entire nation to adopt 3 strikes you're out for repeat offenders (and no it doesn't apply to drug laws so don't bring that up) via citizens initiative because the people were fed up with crime and the legislature wasn't doing anything. It worked for decades until the legislature and governor started eroding it and letting 3 strikers out who, amazingly, often reoffend quickly.

Thank you, Alpine!

1705

Don't be fooled by the scary language in this bill. It is a direct attack on home hobbyists and gun owners. It does not even contain a grandfather clause. Guns made - LEGALLY - Federal and State - will suddenly become illegal and turn law abiding citizens into criminals. This is is just WRONG.

And you as a knowledgeable Senator know - this will simply NOT deter criminals.

This bill is just another nasty attack on the 2nd Amendment - which is a civil right - many of your colleagues forget this conveniently.

ESHB 1705 "Untraceable weapons" -- making unserialized guns illegal, with NO grandfathering! Yes, your homemade Polymer80 or 80%-built AR will make you a criminal!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit
https://www.americanpartisan.org/2019/1 ... g-scandal/

First, criminals don't obey gun laws. Second, the vast majority of their arms are stolen, they don't go to a gun store to fill out a Form 4473 and undergo a background check nor do they place a credit card order online, patiently wait and construct an 80% firearm with its associated gunsmithing and massaging to work out the kinks. Anyone who's put together an 80% firearm knows you just don't put it together and wa-la, you have a "new" firearm. These are often highly specialized firearms for owners who wish to either know the working innards of their weapon and/or utilize the highest quality parts. It's the Heathkit of the firearm world, and you often do not "save" money and especially time in buying one.

You would think the streets would be awash in these 80% firearms but that is clearly not the case.

When criminals acquire firearms through theft, they often obliterate the serial number to hide their crime. This is another crime in itself, but it does not matter.

Why don't we concern ourselves with prior instances of the US government feeding cartels firearms thru Operation Fast and Furious?

I have a couple very valid points, however the expression of such would violate state and federal law. I'm sure my message would be completely missed, and the points being made would would end up effectively hollow..

ESHB 1705 would place a burden on the people to seek professional services or purchase tools to perform the service themselves of having to uniquely identify each and every firearm a person made themselves. This is an unjust burden to place upon the people, especially the people who use these weapons just to put food on the table. Furthermore, think of the people who do not follow the Washington legislative process and would be unaware of this new bill. How do you propose to inform them that their homemade unmarked firearms will net them a $500 penalty, confiscation, and further criminal penalties, for each infraction? At a time when many people are trying to put their lives back together post Jay Inslee's response to a pandemic that permanently closed many small businesses, you, legislators, have gone well out of your way to find a mechanism to penalize the people you swore serve. This is appalling and only serves to criminalize people who have chosen to make their own firearms.

ESHB 1630 "Weapons/certain meetings"

No other right is limited, based on the exercise of another right.

You have a right to vote, you have the right to speak at public meetings...

Nowhere else is one right abridged to exercise another right.

One doesn't lose the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures merely for remaining silent.

One doesn't lose the right to peaceably assemble, because they choose to carry a firearm, except you've already done that.

One doesn't lose the right to speak in a public forum, because they choose to exercise their state and federal constitutionally protected right to carry a firearm, which is what you're planning.

One doesn't lose the right to vote, because they choose to exercise their state and federal constitutionally protected right to carry a firearm, which is what you're planning.

What's next? 'You can't vote unless you let us search your house'? ''No speaking in public unless we allow soldiers to be quartered in our homes'?

The left, when attempting to justify the riots that occurred all through 2020 that left thousands injured, dozens dead, massive unrest, and entire city blocks destroyed by fire and destruction, quoted MLK as saying 'a riot is the language of the unheard'.

and, here we are.... and you're attempting to silence citizens.... citizens who, before now, were law abiding citizens, that you're attempting to turn into criminals.

If you're going to turn them into criminals, would it be right for them to riot? Will you call it a 'peaceful protest' as you did before as people lit buildings on fire and looted? Would you accept blame for their actions because you silenced them?

Thank you, guys.

All right, we are good for the moment, but if you would still like to contribute please do.