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A new bill to allow the use of registered silencers in WA was submitted to the House on 12/14/10. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1016.pdf

The sponsors are Blake, Condotta, Armstrong, Shea, Kretz, Klippert, McCune, Takko, Van De Wege, Dunshee, Probst, Liias, Miloscia, Finn, Hurst, Springer, Goodman, Rodne, Orcutt, Haigh, Dickerson, Taylor, Warnick, and Hope. If the performance (or lack) of the sponsors of last year's bill 1604 is typical, then all of these sponsors need lots of attention in the form of letters and meetings.

You can find your Representative here; http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Pages/MembersByDistrict.aspx The most important Representatives to contact are the Judiciary committee members here; http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/JUDI/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx Senators are here; http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/Pages/default.aspx The Senate Judiciary members are here; <broken link removed>

Last year's bill 1604 which died in committee time after time only had six sponsors. I do not know why Upthegrove, Ross and Crouse did not sponsor this new bill, but having 23 sponsors has to be better than six. Kathy Haigh told me a while back that she would not sponsor the bill, maybe this means she will push to get it a hearing.

Unfortunately this bill will not do enough to allow shooters to reduce noise at a rifle range, but it is a very good start. It will only allow the use of registered devices, not other contrivances like shooting boxes or insulated shooting rooms. I had asked Condotta to include words that exempted devices not attached to the firearm, but they did not change the bill at all.

If anyone wants to meet with their Rep, but wants company, I am willing to go with if the meeting is within 100 miles of Seattle.

Ranb
 
I think the most significant development in this new bill is that there are at least two Representatives who a year before had no interest in firearm suppression, but are now interested enough to put their names on the bill. I do not think it was the letters I sent to them that made the difference. It was meeting with them face to face.

When I met with Haigh, I dressed like a nerd (I actually am a bit nerdy). The person with who went with me was educated at the same college as she, and also worked in the medical field. While we both are very interested in guns, we presented a very non-threatening picture while meeting with her. In other words, we were not loud threatening stereotypical gun nuts in cammies proclaiming how our 2nd amendment rights were being trampled on by her for not getting out and pushing for the bill.

I also brought a small 9mm silencer for her to examine. She perked up at this and examined it closely as she had never seen one before. Since it was obviously just a simple muffler, it probably completely took out any mystique she may have had for silencers. As a vet who puts down sick and injured animals she was familiar with guns and could appreciate the value of making them less noisy.

My meeting with Finn was a bit different. It was mainly to discuss obtaining an AG opinion on exactly what kind of suppression devices RCW 9.41.250(c) bans use of. But we were also able to get in some time on the silencer bill. The person with me was dressed in a long coat with a cowboy hat and was packing a sidearm. Something like a cross between an urban cowboy and Wyatt Earp. He did not dress up for the occasion, but that was how he normally was. But again we were otherwise low key while meeting Finn at the Bremerton Airport Diner.

At both meetings, as well as the one with Pedersen, we were careful to listen and not interrupt. There was time for everyone to voice their views. While there were disagreements, everyone was civil. The best way to lose support is to be cross or angry. If you make a claim, be prepared to show evidence to support it, or at the very least, qualify the claim. For example if you are trying to show that silencers are hardly ever used in crime, it is a bad idea to claim they are never used, but instead say that there is very little evidence that they are used to commit crime. It is very unlikely that any of the Reps have ever heard of any silencer crime. I have a list of silencer crimes in WA state if anyone needs it. I brought documentation to support most of what I was talking about at all of the meetings. This included a copy of the RCW, the bill, federal statutes controlling silencers, example of an ATF registration form, opinions from lawyers on silencer law, a reference book (Paulson's) on silencers and for one meeting an actual silencer.

In a nutshell, I am saying that anyone who is interested in seeing this bill passed into law needs to sit down for a face to face meeting with their Rep and Senator. It works better than any letter. Even if your Reps are Republicans, do not assume that they will support the bill in any way. The only two people in Olympia that told me they refuse to support the bill are Republicans. Even Kline is on the fence now.

If anyone can get a meeting with Kline, I really want to go with. Thanks.

Ranb
 
Here is some material that can be helpful if you want to write to your Senator or Representative. Feel free to use the below letter for ideas, but do not simply copy and paste it.

RCW 9.41.250(c) prohibits the use of any device that suppresses firearm noise. Bill 1016 would make an exception for any suppressors registered with the federal government. While Washington is one of the 37 states that allow civilians to own suppressors without a license, we are the only one of those states that prohibit their use. Missouri and Kansas recently amended their laws to allow civilians to own and use silencers.

People who own registered suppressors pay a $200 tax on each and pass an FBI background check prior to buying or making them. Each registration form is signed by the local sheriff or other chief law enforcement officer in the county. Obtaining ATF authorization to own a silencer is a routine matter and never denied to anyone who can own a firearm and lives in one of the states that allow them.

The federal government places strict controls on the possession of suppressors and provides for heavy fines and long prison terms for those who misuse them, use them in violent crime or even evade the tax. In the USA as a whole, suppressor crime is very rare compared to other firearms, even more rare is the use of legally owned suppressors.

As you may know, the Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club has been sued by Kitsap county partly over noise complaints. I designed and built a box that attaches to a shooting bench into which a shooter can insert a rifle barrel. This box would absorb some of the noise and reduce the sound levels the range neighbors are exposed to. Prior to using the box, I contacted the Kitsap County Prosecutor to ask if he knew of any lawyers who could advise me on whether or not this device was legal to use. Mr. Hauge instead gave me his own opinion. He said that due to the broad nature of RCW 9.41.250(c), any device that suppresses firearm noise would be illegal to use even if it was not attached to the firearm.

What this means is that while a rifle range can be taken to court over noise complaints, it is illegal for the range to use any device or structure to reduce noise. This is very unfair in my opinion. The use of firearm suppressors is a viable option for those who want to reduce noise safely. While firearm suppressors do not make a gun silent and sometime still require that the shooter wear ear plugs, they can greatly reduce noise and make the gun club a better neighbor. While some people oppose the existence of rifle ranges, they provide a much safer environment to use a firearm compared to merely walking out into the forest and shooting at targets. Shutting down the Kitsap Club will not stop shooting in Kitsap county, but it may increase the number of people who use other rural areas for shooting. Bill 1016 will not allow the use of all noise reduction devices, but allowing the use of registered suppressors is a good start.

When I met with Representative Pedersen to discuss the suppressor use bill, he requested that I obtain the opinions of various police organizations. WASPC said they will take a neutral stance on registered suppressor use. WACOPS supports the use of registered suppressors. I have copies of their positions enclosed in this letter. Cease Fire Washington has also taken a neutral stance on their use. I have not received a written position from Cease Fire, but I spoke to Michael Wolfe on the phone several times and he is willing to talk to you about their neutral position on the matter.

I also wrote to each county sheriff’s office requesting data on suppressor related crime. Most counties replied saying they had never made any arrests involving firearm suppressors or had any crime related to them. I was able to find a total of ten suppressor related crimes reported for the entire state. I was not able to find evidence that any of these suppressors were registered or legally owned. I have included a summary of the data I obtained. As you can see, suppressors are not a significant problem in Washington.

If bill 1016 passes the House, I hope that you will allow it a hearing in committee. I would like to meet with you at your convenience to discuss the bill. Please reply to my e-mail address if you have any questions. Thank you.

If you are writing to a Senate Judiciary committee member, then ask them to give bill 1016 a hearing if it passes the House. If you are writing to a House member, ask them to tell Chairman Pedesen that the bill is a priority and needs a hearing.

Ranb
 
Here are some position letters I received from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs. Feel free to print these out, but be sure to give credit to me as they were not addressed to you. It is best to write your own letter and print these pages out and include them with the letter.

--- On Mon, 9/27/10, Joanna Arlow <[email protected]> wrote:

From: Joanna Arlow <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Suppressor use in Washington.
To: "Ran B" <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, September 27, 2010, 1:48 PM


Mr. Bragge:

I am following up, as promised, regarding your request for WASPC in put on the issue of noise suppressors for the general public and HB 1604 specifically.

At our recent WASPC Executive Board meeting, after discussion, the Board voted that WASPC would take a “neutral” or “no position” stance with regards to the legislation and policy of permitting possession/use of firearm suppressors by the general public when registered in accordance with federal law.

This means that, as of this time, we would neither work for nor against the policy. If our formal position changes, I will let you know.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Jo Arlow
Policy Director
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
PH: 360-486-2401
FX: 360-486-2381
[email protected]
Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs

RE: Suppressor use in Washington
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 3:28 PM

From:

"Jamie Daniels" <[email protected]>

To:
"'Ran B'" [email protected]

Randall,

Our Executive Board met again last week and reviewed this legislation again. It is now recommended that we support the bill. I’ll be talking with you as we get closer to session.

Jamie Daniels

Here is a summary of silencer crime in Washington State.

Letters were sent requesting data on arrests associated with firearm suppressors to every county sheriff’s office in Washington State. Twenty-one counties reported they had no records of any suppressor related crime. Five counties did not respond to my request despite following up with a second request. Two counties said they did not track crimes by RCW 9.41.250(c). Six counties reported no suppressor related crime going back six to twenty-three years. Five counties reported a total of ten arrests or incidents involving suppressors in the last twelve years.

Adams County Never arrested anyone using a suppressor and have no records pertaining to suppressor use.
Asotin County No records of arrests for suppressor use.
Benton County No record of any suppressor related crime.
Chelan County No information on arrest involving suppressors.
Clallam County One suppressor seized during search. Not used in crime.
Clark County No knowledge of any suppressor crime.
Columbia County No crimes associated with suppressors since 1997.
Cowlitz County No violations of RCW 9.41.250(c) since 2004. No other information on suppressor related crime.
Douglas County No records of any crimes committed with suppressors. No suppressors ever seized.
Ferry County No evidence of any crime with suppressors.
Franklin County No record of any crime with suppressors.
Garfield County Would not respond to inquiry.
Grant County No record of any crime with suppressors.
Grays Harbor County Would not respond to inquiry.
Island County No record of any crime with suppressors.
Jefferson County One arrest involving non-functional suppressor 10-12 years ago. No record of conviction.
King County Six incidents involving arrests and suppressors taken into evidence.
Kitsap County All 9.41.250 a b and c crimes grouped together. A search on "silencer" revealed one case.
Kittitas County No record of any crime with suppressors.
Klickitat County Would not respond to inquiry.
Lewis County No record of any arrests involving suppressors.
Lincoln County No known crimes have been committed with suppressors.
Mason County No suppressor related crime on record.
Okanogan County Would not respond to inquiry.
Pacific County No suppressor related crime since 1992.
Pend Oreille County Database does not detail RCW 9.41.250(c) crimes but Inspector with agency since 1987 has no recollection of any suppressor crime in the County.
Pierce County Does not track by RCW 9.41.250.
San Juan County No suppressor related crimes reported.
Skagit County No violations involving the use of firearm suppressors.
Skamania County No record of arrests involving firearm suppressors.
Snohomish County Unable to search database without date/location provided.
Spokane County Unable to produce information relating to suppressors. One ongoing murder trial involving crude homemade suppressor.
Stevens County No violations of RCW 9.41.250(c) in the county.
Thurston County No record of suppressor crime since 2007. Records division has no personal recollection of suppressor crime since 2000.
Wahkiakum County No record of suppressor crime.
Walla Walla County No record of suppressor crime.
Whatcom County Would not respond to inquiry.
Whitman County No record of suppressor crime.
Yakima County No record of suppressor crime since 2000.

You will need to reformat the data in the crime summary if you want to print it out and send it along with your letter. I have the letters from the countys if you need them. Feel free to ask your Reps to contract me if they have questions about this data.

Ranb
 
I personally hate the whole dead in committee outcome of any legislation. If it was important enough to be introduced it should at least be considered. It gives the members of the board a very broad sword to ignore anything that doesn't fancy them. I am very glad to see more supporters on the introduction this year. From the inception of the ban it has only been a re-wording that would fix the whole issue. Seems like a lot of trouble to just get "and those in legal possession" added to the RCW. I live in Olympia and would be happy to face to face with my officials. This is just a simple fix that has been pushed aside too many times already. Well I'll say it again... Maybe this year!
 
I personally hate the whole dead in committee outcome of any legislation. If it was important enough to be introduced it should at least be considered. It gives the members of the board a very broad sword to ignore anything that doesn't fancy them.

Any legislator can write up a bill and sponsor it. Pedersen told me that he only gives about 25&#37; of the bills a hearing because there are so many. I do not find this hard to believe. I also believed him when he told me that there was very little support for the old bill (1604) in the last few sessions.

There does seem to be more attention to suppressor use now though. But the House is only half the battle. Kline and the Senate are the other half. If the Democrat Kline does not block a hearing, Republican Roach might. We need to meet with both and convince them the bill needs a hearing if it passes the House.

You are right about that broad sword though. Those committee chairmen have lots of power. If we can chip away at the restrictions by allowing registered silencer use, then it will be easier to completely get rid of RCW 9.41.250(c) or amend the statute further by allowing the use of any device not attached to the gun.

Ranb
 
:s0155:Ranb! I live in Oregon, lived in WA up until '05 & you're doing all of us a great service with your hard work. It is just a trip that it isn't legal for people in WA to own a silencer/supressor OR use an external noise abatement set-up like those you've described. And it's good for us all to remember that opposition comes from some in both major parties.
 
RanB Your doing great work man, Hopefully this year we will get some more attention to it. Just for your FYI I'm very against new taxes...but if this had some incentive for the reps such as a special use permit addition to state issued CPL's; that would cost some additional amount of $$ I bet it would come up for a vote at least... But I'm sure thats allot more work for them. I wouldn't mind having some stamp on my CPL allowing Silencer use.
 
Most of the Dems that are sponsoring I know nothing about. I sent all the Democrats letters and DVD's explaining about silencers, but only Haigh, Finn and a few other of the Democrats wrote back. Maybe I got through to the others. Who knows?

Markjz,

Are Blake and Takko in your district? If they are, please write to them and ask them if sponsoring the bill means they will tell Pedersen that it is a priority and it should get a hearing. If they are not willing to do this, then they are just lip serivce like Upthegrove was.

Ranb
 
I like Dunshee, and glad to see he's sponsoring this. He's been by the house twice when he was campaigning for votes; had to tell him I already voted for him and have had communications with him in the past. Time to dust those off and reaffirm my appreciation for his efforts.
 
Is Dunshee the kind of guy who would tell the House Judiciary Chairman to give the bill a hearing?

Ranb

I got the impression, yes. He was doing neighborhood door-by-door walkarounds. We live in a division that's really away from others, and he went through ours not once but twice. We talked about gun rights when he was by the first time, and he came across pretty honest. He seemed more blue collar than politician.

He, Hobbs, and Hope all stepped up and got back to me almost immediately on that Klein bill earlier this year, and Hobbs even called me at home on a Friday night to make sure I knew he was serious about defeating it.
 
If the silencer bill passes, then I want to work on short barreled rifles and shotguns. Prior to 1994, there were no laws in WA banning them. Then they were made contraband by attaching that bill to an education bill. Any legislator that wanted to save SBS/SBR, had to vote against education. Not fair if you ask me.

They were obviously not attempting to ban them as crime prevention. The only legal SBS/SBR in the state of course were those that were registered with the feds and the ones already in WA by 1994 were grandfathered in. So the bill making them contraband was aimed directly at the law abiding residents that own guns legally, not at the criminal element.

Ranb
 
I got the impression, yes.

That is good, but he might need a little nudge. None of the sponsors of bill 1604 were willing to do so. Make sure you remind him that he needs to tell Pedersen that the bill is a priority. That is what Pedersen is looking for.

I was looking at the list of Judiciary committee members. http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/JUDI/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx Goodman, Rodne, Shea and Warnick are bill 1016 sponsors and Judiciary committee members. I actually have a good feeling about this. I am going to devote more of my time to working over the Senate with letters. :)

Ranb
 

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