Washington: I-1639 To Go Into Effect July 1

On July 1^st, the remaining provisions of Initiative 1639 will go into effect.  Previously, on January 1^st, a provision from I-1639 went into effect to prohibit young adults under the age of 21 from receiving semi-automatic rifles, along with a provision that bans sales to out of state residents.  NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging I-1639 in November 2018 not long after it passed.  The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington rejected a motion by the Washington state government defendants to dismiss this lawsuit back in May, clearing it to proceed.

Under I-1639, starting July 1^st, prospective purchasers of semi-automatic rifles will be required to have completed a specific, I-1639 compliant, firearm training course within the previous five years, transfers of semi-automatic rifles will be required to be delayed for ten business days before the recipient may take possession, the existing handgun registry will extend to semi-automatic rifle transfers, and recipients will be required to pay a fee of $18 to the Department of Licensing to process transfers.  Firearm owners will also be required to store firearms locked up per state standards or potentially face criminal liability if they are accessed by another.

Additionally, House Bill 1465, sponsored by Representative Roger Goodman (D-45), will go into effect July 1^st as well.  It will require CPL holders to undergo a state background check on handgun purchases instead of the instant NICS check that is currently being conducted as a courtesy by the FBI.  Beginning July 1^st, the FBI will no longer be conducting these courtesy NICS checks for CPL holders.

Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates as I-1639 implementation begins and on other issues affecting our Second Amendment rights in Washington.