By Larry Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation
Washington State is warning on official websites an inability to agree on a state budget could mean services supporting firearms sales, training and licensing could be suspended July 1.
Washington’s Department of Licensing posted a warning on its website of the possible shutdown or partial shutdown of services. It detailed the legislature’s inability to agree on operating and capital budgets that fund several state agencies, including those dealing with state firearms dealer licensing.
“If the Legislature does not approve budgets by June 30, several state agencies will go through full or partial operations shutdowns,” the notification stated.
Firearms dealers and gun owners have reason to be wary of the legislative impasse. Washington already has some of the most restrictive laws relating to gun sales and transfers. Governor Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) previously used log-jammed legislation to issue an executive order to tighten the state’s firearms background checks, collect data on firearms-related death and injuries and for state agencies to create reduction strategies for what he called “a public-health response to a public-health crisis.”
Unless the state legislature comes to an agreement by midnight on June 30, state agencies regulating firearms dealer licensing services will go dark or be reduced.
Larry Keane is the National Shooting Sports Foundation Sr. VP & General Counsel.