Washington –-(Ammoland.com)- Initiative 594 is the latest and most comprehensive attempt to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners in the Evergreen State.
Although proponents describe it as a “universal background check” measure, Initiative 594 is in reality a universal handgun registration scheme.
Under I-594, every time a handgun is transferred, the person receiving the handgun will have their name added to the government database being maintained by the state Department of Licensing.
Under I-594, every time a handgun is transferred, the person receiving the handgun will have their name added to the government database being maintained by the state Department of Licensing.
- Initiative 594 is opposed by the Washington Council of Police & Sheriffs (WACOPS) and the Washington State Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association (WSLEFIA). WACOPS is the state’s oldest and largest law enforcement organization. WACOPS represents more than 4500 active duty police and sheriffs deputies. Click here to read WACOPS position paper
- Virtually every firearm transfer – with very few and limited exceptions – would be required to go through a licensed firearms dealer under the provisions of I-594.
- I-594 will specifically regulate transfers, not sales. Under the language of I-594, in virtually all cases, a person merely handing his or her firearm to a family member or a friend cannot do so without brokering the transfer through a gun dealer with the accompanying fees, paperwork, taxes and, in the case of handguns, state registration.
- I-594 also doubles the state waiting period on handgun sales from five to ten days and extends it to every private transfer of a handgun!
- The only thing that I-594 would accomplish is the creation of a government record of all lawfully transferred handguns in Washington, which would facilitate their future confiscation.