Hello WAHTF!

ESSB 5038 - the “Open Carry Ban” that has much wrong with it, must go back through the State Senate for concurrence before moving onto the Governor for his signature.

Even though it is slim, there is a chance that this could get held up in the Senate.  I know you all are willing to take less than two minutes to try and stop this bad policy from becoming law.  Please hit the link below from the NRA-ILA.  Just fill in your home address and email.  The letter is pre-written.  Then click “submit”. It’s that easy.

NRA-ILA Easy Link

If you want to do a little more, you can go to the bill information page and use the green “comment on this bill” to contact your Senator directly and urge them to not concur with the changes (amendments) made by the House.

Bill Info Page @ leg.wa.gov

ETA:  Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig’s telephone #:  360-786-7604 (office)

Thank you WAHTF for all that you have done this session!  I hope you will hit these links hard and share with friends and family one last time.  We just might pull it off.  You never know unless you try.

Yes it’s a long shot, but are you a quitter or a fighter?

Trey

FIGHTER! Done

AWESOME!  Thank you!

Is the NRA still politically active in this state?

I can't tell.

Made my submittal again.  Mentioned that I could be in violation if despite not being part of the protest, the protest moves to my location.

Done.

done

Thanks everyone!

Here are some more talking points cut and pasted from the WA Civil Rights Association FB page:

TALKING POINTS (copy or add your own)

   This bill is directly based on a racist Alabama law that was specifically designed to disarm blacks—a population that the ruling class was afraid of at the time.

   The emergency clause request was misrepresented. House Majority Leader Drew Hansen said he was told that Washington State Patrol requested the emergency clause in amendment 467. Representative JT Wilcox said that his staff confirmed that WSP did not request the emergency clause.

   The bill still prohibits employees from open carrying inside their place of business, because they don’t specifically own or lease the property

   Prohibited weapons don’t even include those used in riots this last year: frozen water bottles, glass bottles, and fireworks
.
   People living in or near a protest like CHAZ/CHOP would be legally prohibited from entering or leaving their home if they wish to protect their families by carrying a firearm

   Threatening someone with a firearm or hurting someone with a firearm is already illegal, this bill therefore only criminalizes the mere peaceful presence of a firearm, meaning it is just a tool to suppress speech.

   This bill makes private property public by allowing for a private business’s front area and parking lot to be considered a “public place” that protesters can occupy and prevent lawful carry at.

   The intent is clearly to suppress the speech of those the bill sponsors disagree with: firearm owners, while empowering the speech of violent individuals who use fireworks, frozen water bottles, glass bottles, etc. as weapons like during the 2020-21 Washington riots

   King Soopers was and is a place that prohibits open carry, this did not stop, prevent, or hinder in any way an evil person from using a firearm to kill others despite being a violation of their open carry policy. This demonstrates open carry bans DO NOT stop evil people, if anything they are encouraged by them being soft targets.

   The 9th circuit ruling about open carry used the logic that Hawaii has historically banned open carry, therefore it can continue to ban open carry. By that same logic since Washington has historically allowed open carry, they cannot ban open carry. Further other circuits have ruled in favor of carry and there is currently a case (NYSRPA v Corlett) before the Supreme Court regarding carrying a firearm outside the home, the legislature should not ban what the supreme court likely will rule cannot be banned.

Feel free to add your own points as well

done

They are doing the best they can with very limited resources.  Their volunteer coordinator has to cover four or five states (OR, WA, ID, MT and maybe UT).

We are all in this together.  I welcome whatever resources they can muster to our cause.

Thank you Poppaduc for taking action!

Done

Both.....Done

Hit both

Thanks everyone for taking action!

LET'S KEEP IT UP!!!

??Done.

Done.  Did a little editing of the pre-filled text.  Realistically, Article 1 Section 24 of the Washington State Constitution is written even more plainly than the 2nd Amendment, so I added that reference too.

Are they saying that if my neighborhood is declared an autonomous zone, that I would then lose my civil rights?

Doesn't seem Constitutional.

Pretty much.  That is one of the many issues with ESSB 5038.

I'm done caring. They can make what stupid fucking laws they want, these are my rights and they will not be given up.

Seriously wrong attitude. I'm tired of the crap they throw every year.. but you can't stop because they won't stop either.
It really doesn't matter where you live. If you don't fight for your rights, they will just step on it. Places even like Texas sees this crap every year.

At some point you just have to hold the line and do the as best as you can. This is a long game for them so we can't let up.

Done

Done