{"id":988,"date":"2019-06-11T12:42:42","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T19:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sdc.wastateleg.org\/pedersen\/?p=965"},"modified":"2020-09-22T10:18:42","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T17:18:42","slug":"legislative-session-review-reducing-gun-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/pedersen\/2019\/06\/11\/legislative-session-review-reducing-gun-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 Session Review: Reducing gun violence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 2019 legislative session wrapped up several weeks ago after a busy and productive 105 days in Olympia. We finished a \u201clong\u201d session on time for the first time in a decade. With Democrats in control of the Legislature for the second year, we made remarkable progress on many fronts, including groundbreaking legislation addressing climate change<\/a> and the nation\u2019s first public long-term care benefit<\/a>. Over the next several weeks, I\u2019ll be sending newsletters focused on specific issues the legislature addressed this session. This first newsletter will detail the progress we have made together to reduce gun violence in our state.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We’ve made progress on gun safety legislation in recent years thanks to the passion and dedication of advocates across the state who are committed to making our communities safer.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Reducing gun violence in our community is one of my primary objectives as chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. After decades of inaction, the tide is turning in favor of common-sense gun safety measures. Washington voters are responsible for much of the progress, passing statewide ballot measures to extend background checks to private sales and allowing family members to seek court orders to keep guns away from those who are at risk of hurting themselves or others. <\/p>\n\n\n

In 2018, the\nlegislature banned bump stocks, added domestic violence harassment to the list\nof conditions that prevent people from buying a firearm, and adopted a\nfirst-in-nation measure enabling people struggling with mental illness to place\nthemselves on a firearms do-not-purchase list. The voters capped 2018 by\npassing an ambitious ballot measure increasing the purchase age and requiring\nenhanced background checks for semi-automatic weapons, as well as requiring\nsafe storage of all firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n

In 2019, the\nlegislature passed ten additional firearms safety bills to save lives by\nkeeping guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or\nothers. These included:<\/p>\n\n\n