Current Events > So the new firearm purchase forms that reflect i1639 here in WA are rolling out.

(+) Yeah! (+)

And to no one's surprise, they're a complete shit show.

Let's dig in.


Already going south by calling them semi-automatic assault rifles, despite the term only applicable to firearms that have select-fire capabilities.

Orange part used to only apply to pistol purchases, and now apply to all semi-autos.


So, despite some weird wording, not too bad, right? Well, about that.

The problem is, firearm dealers are no longer allowed to do instant background checks on any semi-auto, be it rifles, pistols, or the frame/receiver of a semi-auto. Instead, the application has to be mailed to the local law enforcement agency, who then mails it back once the background check has been done. In certain counties(King county for example), this may take up to 30 days, depending on the amount of requests coming in. After 30 days, the paperwork expires, and according to existing WA laws, if a background check isn't completed within the allowed time span the buyer is automatically cleared, and can pick up their firearm, regardless of what the background check comes back as. So, in other words, people that would fail a check can simply wait out the application, and get their gun afterwards.

Moving on, there's a box the purchaser must check on the state form, acknowledging that it's a forfeiture of HIPAA privacy. Handguns are just supposed to be for that instant during the background check, but for semi-autos now, it's permanently open for review. The form to even request that information is even more odd. The DOL says their website and database won't be ready for a year, despite these initiatives moving forward in three weeks.

Alongside this, the initiative asks a purchaser to have some sort of official training certificate to show that you are aware, and able to handle a semi-automatic firearm. What's the problem with this? As of right now, the state has no regulations or standards of what has to be taught in the class. The only guidelines right now are what kind of people are allowed to teach the class, mainly being licensed firearm instructors that the state recognizes. However, there will be no system in place to verify whether or not a certificate is valid or not, and won't be for at least a year, as no immediate resources are set in place to watch over this. Best part is, if you want to skip the class or don't have the certificate, an 18 dollar fee will simply be added to the sale, as a little extra tax.

Basically, the whole thing is a wash, essentially guaranteeing anyone that applies for a firearm, regardless of their criminal record, will get that firearm. This is Trump levels of incompetency, and needs to be challenged, and thrown out.

Oh, and to top it all off the lower receiver to an AR-15 is technically exempt from all of this, because an AR-15 lower doesn't necessarily need to become an AR-15. There are kits to make them muzzle-loaders, bolt-actions, or even novelty soda can/tennis ball launchers, so anyone smart enough to realize this can simply buy a stripped lower, and have all the parts and pieces needed to make it a fully-functional rifle mailed directly to their home.
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Bump for day CE.
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