The Washington State House of Representatives is the next stop for Senate Bill 5098, a measure which bans guns in parks and playground facilities where children are likely to be present, government buildings and county fairgrounds during fairs, but holders of valid concealed pistol licenses are exempted.
The exemption is found near the end of the eight-page legislation, in section 15, which says the ban “does not apply to a person licensed to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to” state statute. Washington currently has about 700,000 active CPLs, according to the state Department of Licensing.
The Senate vote was 28-21 with two Democrats crossing the aisle to vote with Republicans against the measure. According to MyNorthwest.com, State Sen. Jeff Holy (R-Cheney) insisted, “Lawful gun owners are not the problem.”
He said criminals will not obey the prohibition if it becomes law.
Evidently, Democrat Sen. Javier Valdez of Seattle doesn’t agree, declaring on the Senate floor during debate, “It’s pretty critical and vital that we do our best here as a state legislature to keep our residents and families and children safe.”
But will it? Gun rights activists are quick to remind anyone who will listen that criminals, including mass shooters, are not deterred by “gun-free zone” designations and may actually attract people intent on committing mayhem.
As noted by Dr. John Lott, head of the Crime Prevention Research Center, during testimony before the Wyoming Legislature last year, “Gun-free zones attract attackers. The penalties for violating gun-free zones are severe for law-abiding citizens, but the threat of a few years in prison means nothing for someone facing mass murder charges. The law just ensures only the murderer will have a gun. It’s no wonder that surveys show that criminologists and economists strongly support abolishing gun-free zones in places such as schools.”
The carve-out for CPL holders reminds lawmakers that armed private citizens have intervened in emergencies, preventing mass shooting tragedies.
- In July 2022, a mass shooting at the Greenwood Mall in Greenwood, Indiana was stopped when a legally-armed private citizen identified as 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken drew his pistol and fatally shot killer Jonathan Sapirman. The 20-year-old had opened fire in the food court area, killing two people before Dicken shot him eight times from a distance of about 40 yards. Dicken was hailed as a hero by local authorities.
- In August 2018, a legally-armed vendor operating at a back-to-school picnic in Titusville, Fla. A would-be mass killer opened fire on the event, where at least 100 children were present. The vendor drew his sidearm and shot the gunman. None of the picnic attendees were injured.
- In May 2022, a legally-armed woman fatally shot a would-be killer in Charleston, W.Va., who opened fire with a rifle after earlier being told to stop speeding through the area of an apartment complex where a party was in progress. The gunman later died.
The vote came after dozens of gun prohibition advocates gathered in Olympia to lobby for what KCPQ News/Fox13 described as “gun safety bills.”
House Bill 1152 requires gun owners to lock up their firearms when not in use. Opponents contend this may be unconstitutional, and there is language in District of Columbia v Heller which may support that argument.
House Bill 1163 would require people to get a permit in order to purchase a gun. Opponents say this bill would burden firearms retailers and the State Patrol, while it might also be difficult to fulfill because of a lack of gun ranges to meet a live fire requirement as part of a safety training mandate included in the bill. It is also being questioned in terms of constitutionality.
