GOAL Post #7

The first major legislative hurdle was passed this week, and several pro- and anti-gun bills failed to make the grade. 5 p.m. Tuesday was the cut-off for bills to pass out of their originating House committee; 5 p.m. Wednesday was the same cut-off in the Senate. The range safety and firearms instructor liability bills, and the CPL NICS-check bill died, along with anti-gun bills banning guns on public transit and House versions of the community college and hospital gun bans. Both House and Senate versions of the safe storage bill died. Surviving bills include CPL reciprocity, emergency CPL issue, the civil rights act, and the Senate version of the community college gun ban. SB 5312 was amended in committee to remove language allowing hospitals to ban firearms. The gun ban language COULD be amended back into the bill on the Senate floor.

Although new bills continue to be filed, generally these are for consideration in next year's session. Despite public statements about them, no bills have been filed addressing gun shows or controlling private sales of guns. Washington Ceasefire is circulating a draft bill that would gather data identifying “crime guns” (to include accessories and modifications) with an annual report from the Attorney General just prior to the start of the legislative session (i.e. “gun ban target list”). (Washington Ceasefire HAS been conducting "focus group" discussions on the issues of "gun safety" and "gun availability." Rest assured SOME action will be forthcoming--whether it's in the legislature or in the form of another initiative.)

Bill Status

SB=Senate Bill, HB=House Bill, SSB/SHB=Substitute (amended) Senate or House Bill

Go here to read more about the bills by number. Only "live" bills are shown. For old bill numbers, look in the archives.

Several pro-gun owner bills are sitting in the House Rules Committee, awaiting a push to the floor for passage. Please call or e-mail the House Rules members and ask them to support House Bills 1352 and 1391/1196.

You may reach your Representatives and Senators by calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Toll free! The hearing impaired may obtain TDD access at 1-800-635-9993. Also toll free! You may obtain hard copy bills, initiatives, etc., in the mail from the Legislative Bill Room FREE OF CHARGE by calling 1-360-786-7573.

This article is edited for space. To receive the entire GOAL Post send a request here. Information is edited and reprinted with written permission from GOAL. All information Copyright (C) 1999 Gun Owners Action League of WA and Olympic Arms, Inc.

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On-line Letters
Those of you who surf the World Wide Web need to log-on to nra's website. Contained under both the "News" and "ILA" sections of their homepage you will find sample letters for you to send to your lawmakers. The letters deal with a previously-released BATF study on armor-piercing ammunition which concluded that no further legislation on this front was necessary. At the bequest of the Clinton-Gore Administration, the Treasury Department came out publicly to repudiate BATF's conclusions, since they were not consistent with the Administration's plans for more bullet bans. The second piece of correspondence addresses the Clinton-Gore Administration's attempt to ban gun shows in the U.S. You may either download the letters in their entireties and send to your lawmakers, or cut and paste them into your word processing program, add your own, additional text, and then mail to your legislators.

TX & FL Fight Back
Two measures in the Texas legislature would limit or prohibit Texas cities and counties, or the state, from suing gun manufacturers. One of the bills is sponsored by State Representative Suzanna Hupp, who became the state's leading pro gun activist after both of her parents were murdered in the Luby's massacre in Killeen in 1992. Hupp says lawsuits claiming gun manufacturers are responsible for gun violence would increase the price of guns, keeping them out of the hands of law abiding citizens who need them for protection.

Mayors who sue gun makers would face up to five years in prison under a proposed Florida law that opponents say is the latest salvo in a national battle over liability for shooting injuries and deaths. The bill filed Feb. 19 by state Rep. George Albright would make it a crime for local government officials to sue gun and ammunition makers to recoup damages in cases arising from ``the lawful design, marketing or sale of firearms.'' Public officials who file such lawsuits would risk conviction on a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000. Albright, a Republican from Ocala, said product liability lawsuits should be left to private citizens and his bill would stop local government officials from exercising powers the legislature never intended them to have.

Where are the catalogs?
Dealer catalogs are here!!! We have made our main bulk mailing, and if you send an FFL you should receive one shortly. Our Retail catalogs are being worked on at this time and should be ready very soon. Give us a try at the end of March '99 and hopefully we can get you one!

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