I met Representative Petersen along with a Northwest Firearms Forum member on Tuesday. I was trying to convince him that bill 1604 (to allow silencer use in WA) was worthy of his attention. I failed.

WA is the only state that allows silencer ownership, but also prohibits use by everyone, military and police included. Bill 1604 would make an exception for those silencers that are registered with the feds. Some other states do this and I think it is a step in the right direction for WA.

Petersen claimed that he had over 150 bills to consider as chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Not a single Representative told him that 1604 was a priority. He also claimed that I was the only WA resident that wrote to him about the bill before the end of the last regular session.

Petersen claims that he has no objection to silencer use, but he is unwilling to give the bill the time of day unless someone else gives a damn. It seems that very few people, especially in WA care at all about this bill. Considering the number of people that tell me I am a criminal for making silencers, (some are from WA) I have no reason to doubt Petersen's word on this issue.

I am going to keep trying to push this bill. I have a meeting with Representative Finn at the end of the month. Hopefully I can convince him to speak to Petersen and lend some support for the bill.

Ranb

best of luck!

I would suggest you offer him a check for his reelection campaign fund!
Peter.

I can not afford to write this guy a check, I do not think it would work, and I have a moral objection to buying votes.

Ranb

quote:

I have a moral objection to buying votes.

But surely ranb40 that is not what you are doing? This is the land of the free and home of the brave. You are simply helping a like minded person get re elected. Simple freedom of speech per the Supreme Court of the USA.
Peter.

How did it go?

Very little was accomplished. He still thinks that silencers are controversial, but we were able to show him what a person goes through to make or buy one. He continued to stress that no one in the House has approached him about giving the bill a hearing. He recommended that we contact a certain Sheriff's association to get their support. He seemed to be unfamiliar with bill 1604 when I gave him a copy of it.

It was only a few days ago (and after the meeting) that I remembered Representative Shea sending me an e-mail where he claimed he tried to get Pedersen to give bill 1604 a hearing back in 2009. Shea is the ranking minority member of the House Judiciary committee. His claim directly counters Pedersen's. I do not really know who to believe as the very low reply rate of my e-mails leads me to believe that no one including the Republicans are interested in the bill.

My next step is to try and arrange meetings with my District 35 Reps. Fred Finn's aide would not make an appointment after we agreed on a date, so I have to figure out how to get around this. Kathy Haigh is clearly not interested in helping, but maybe a meeting with her will bring her around. She was supportive of the Senate bill years ago, but this support seems to have evaporated as soon as she learned she might actually have to vote on a silencer bill that might make it to the House.

I also need to talk to Kline. He is a rabidly anti-gun Senator who thinks banning guns in WA is a good idea when they do the same thing in CA. He also acknowledges that his bills are unlikely to reduce crime. But I have no choice but to talk to him as bill 1604 will probably die in the Senate after it gets approved in the House unless someone pushes for it.

Tim Sheldon (my Senator) ignored all of my e-mails the last time a bill legalizing silencer use appeared in the Senate. I am not counting on his support either. 13 more years and I get to leave this f-ing state forever. Yahoo!

Ranb

Tell 'em to attach your silencer bill to one banning illegal immigrants and it will pass. These guys are not about governing but all about getting re elected. How about a bill authorizing the Attorney General to sue the Feds over the Health Care bill? That's a good one. Either of these options will get the interest of your Republican representatives.
Peter.

The bill to ban SBS and SBR's was attached to an education spending bill back in 1994. The only way to oppose banning those guns was to oppose spending money on education. Dirty politics if you ask me.

Ranb

House bill 1016 (change restrictions on silencer use) is getting a hearing. It will take place on Wednesday, 1/12/11. Agendas

quote:

Judiciary - 01/12/11 8:00 am
Full Committee
House Hearing Rm A
John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Public Hearing:
HB 1032 - Modifying consumer protection act provisions. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 1041 - Including correctional employees who have completed government-sponsored law enforcement firearms training to the lists of law enforcement personnel that are exempt from certain firearm restrictions. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 1016 - Changing restrictions on firearm noise suppressors. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 1017 - Mandating a twelve-hour impound hold on motor vehicles used by persons arrested for driving under the influence. (If measure is referred to committee.)
HB 1001 - Placing restrictions on pro se defendants when questioning witnesses. (If measure is referred to committee.)

There is only one other gun control bill on the list, and it eases restrictions as far as I can tell. I do not anticipate much of an anti-gun crowd showing up for this one.

I will be taking the morning (or whole day) off from work to attend. Anyone want to join me?

Ranb