As people continue to gather for political protests outside of the state Capitol, lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban the open carry of firearms on Capitol grounds and at other public demonstrations.
The Capitol has long been the site of armed and unarmed protests, but the bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, said that an increase in armed vigilantism is becoming an alarming trend.
Senate Bill 5038 would make it a gross misdemeanor to open carry firearms and other weapons at the state Capitol campus, legislative meetings and within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration.