PORT ANGELES – New restrictions for buying a semi-automatic rifle here in Washington went into effect on Monday, July 1.
Nearly 60 percent of Washington voters passed I-1639, an extensive gun reform initiative, during the November election. Some provisions of the law began in January. Most notably, that’s when it became illegal for a person younger than 21 years of age to buy a semi-automatic assault rifle in Washington.
In November, a Spokane gun dealer and a member of the Army Reserve were among five Washington residents who announced a lawsuit against the state over I-1639. The NRA and Second Amendment Foundation have also filed a join lawsuit challenging the initiative.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson says the law is still presumed constitutional and in force unless a court rules otherwise. He added that failure to comply with the law could result in criminal or civil liability.
Provisions that take effect on July 1:
- Enhanced background check and waiting period requirements for the purchase of semiautomatic assault rifles.
- Training requirements to purchase them.
- Criminal liability for failure to safely secure a gun, under certain conditions.
- Safety warning and storage requirements for dealers.
A handful of law enforcement personnel through Washington state have said they will not enforce the law since its passage. Here in Clallam County, Sheriff Bill Benedict says he’ll enforce the new law to the best of his ability, but says he’s concerned about what he expects to be a burdensome amount of new paperwork requirements for his staff. The new law requires background checks on all firearms sales, and a re-check of those licenses annually. Benedict also has concerns about the gun-transfer provisions in the law and the checks that gun owners are correctly storing firearms, provisions that he says may be unenforceable.