Gun Rights Discussion Starts in Olympia

OLYMPIA - A voter decision in November seems to be the only direction that the gun debate in Washing­ton is heading.

Lawmakers this week held hearings on two gun- related initiatives that drew hundreds of people with strong views, both for and against - including former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who three years ago was injured in a gun attack.

Both the Senate and House majorities are divided on the issue, so there's little chance the Legislature will actually vote on either one. As a result, the two initia­tives are likely to go on the fall ballot.

Both initiatives, 594 and 591, were heard at the House Judiciary hearing Tuesday, Jan. 28. The former would expand background checks on gun sales and transfers to gun shows and private sales, the latter would only require a background check if re­quired by federal law.

Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt during a political event in Tucson, Ariz., in January 2011, testi­fied in support of Initiative 594, calling on legislators to "be courageous."

Currently, all purchas­ers of firearms at feder­ally licensed firearm dealers must undergo a background check. This initiative would expand that to gun shows and private sales and trans­fers.

"Stopping gun violence takes courage - the courage to do what's right, the cour­age of new ideas," Giffords said. "Now is the time to come together; Democrats, Republicans, everyone."

Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, testified that I-594 wouldn't infringe upon Sec­ond Amendment rights of Washington residents. He said that he and Giffords want to protect those rights.

"Gabby's a gun owner, and I am a gun owner," Kelly said. "This right should not extend to criminals."

Some who testified against I-594 said back­ground checks don't work. Criminals will find other ways to get guns illegally, they said, just like most cur­rently do.

National Rifle Associa­tion spokesman Brian Judy said the shooters in several high-profile gun attacks, in­cluding the one that injured Giffords, had gone through background checks.

"This is just not going to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," he said.

Kelly said in his testi­mony that I-594 would not be perfect.

"Some criminals will still get guns," he said.

During the hearing, the overflow crowd filled the House Gallery in the Legis­lative building. Supporters of both sides watched the hearing via live video.

The discussion of these two initiatives continued at another public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in the Senate Law and Justice Committee.