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Here is my interpretation of the new travesty.
Transfer is defined as the following: "(25) "Transfer" means the intended delivery of a firearm to another person without consideration of payment or promise of payment including, but not limited to, gifts and loans."
So transfer covers firearm loans, such as letting your buddy use your gun to go on a hunting trip or while at the range.
Section 1 reads: "(1) All firearm sales or transfers, in whole or part in this state including without limitation a sale or transfer where either the purchaser or seller or transferee or transferor is in Washington, shall be subject to background checks unless specifically exempted by state or federal law. The background check requirement applies to all sales or transfers including, but not limited to, sales and transfers through a licensed dealer, at gun shows, online, and between unlicensed persons."
So all transfers (sales and loans) require a background check unless specifically exempted.
This is what worries me. The following is one of the exemptions: "(c) A temporary transfer of possession of a firearm if such transfer is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to the person to whom the firearm is transferred if: (i) The temporary transfer only lasts as long as immediately necessary to prevent such imminent death or great bodily harm; and (ii) The person to whom the firearm is transferred is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law;"
So basically, if I am about to get killed, I can borrow a gun for only as long as is necessary to defend my safety at which point I will immediately return the borrowed gun to its rightful owner. This is as close to "handing somebody a gun" as you can get, as it covers an immediate situation and clarifies that the transfer can only last as long as the situation requires the immediate use of a firearm for protection. Why would they specifically exempt this situation if they didn't want to restrict just handing your buddy a gun? I feel the AG might say they will not prosecute on this, but that doesn't mean that people aren't technically violating the law, and the AG position could change at any point to decide to prosecute.
By the way, I love how this initiative specifically states that people prohibited from possessing firearms do not have the full right of self defense. Even criminals can be victims, but I guess once you do the time, you are still on the hook forever.
Transfer is defined as the following: "(25) "Transfer" means the intended delivery of a firearm to another person without consideration of payment or promise of payment including, but not limited to, gifts and loans."
So transfer covers firearm loans, such as letting your buddy use your gun to go on a hunting trip or while at the range.
Section 1 reads: "(1) All firearm sales or transfers, in whole or part in this state including without limitation a sale or transfer where either the purchaser or seller or transferee or transferor is in Washington, shall be subject to background checks unless specifically exempted by state or federal law. The background check requirement applies to all sales or transfers including, but not limited to, sales and transfers through a licensed dealer, at gun shows, online, and between unlicensed persons."
So all transfers (sales and loans) require a background check unless specifically exempted.
This is what worries me. The following is one of the exemptions: "(c) A temporary transfer of possession of a firearm if such transfer is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to the person to whom the firearm is transferred if: (i) The temporary transfer only lasts as long as immediately necessary to prevent such imminent death or great bodily harm; and (ii) The person to whom the firearm is transferred is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law;"
So basically, if I am about to get killed, I can borrow a gun for only as long as is necessary to defend my safety at which point I will immediately return the borrowed gun to its rightful owner. This is as close to "handing somebody a gun" as you can get, as it covers an immediate situation and clarifies that the transfer can only last as long as the situation requires the immediate use of a firearm for protection. Why would they specifically exempt this situation if they didn't want to restrict just handing your buddy a gun? I feel the AG might say they will not prosecute on this, but that doesn't mean that people aren't technically violating the law, and the AG position could change at any point to decide to prosecute.
By the way, I love how this initiative specifically states that people prohibited from possessing firearms do not have the full right of self defense. Even criminals can be victims, but I guess once you do the time, you are still on the hook forever.
