Washingtonians will decide whether they want to enact statewide restrictions on semiautomatic rifles by voting on Initiative 1639 this November.
Back in August, a judge ruled in favor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s lawsuit against the initiative and pulled the measure from the ballot. But the Washington Supreme Court overturned that ruling a week later, setting up a statewide fight between Second Amendment proponents and gun control advocates.
What it means: A “yes” vote on the Changes to Gun Ownership and Purchase Requirements Measure would make it more difficult for people to purchase semiautomatic rifles in Washington. Starting Jan. 1, 2019, it would raise the minimum age at which one could buy a semiautomatic rifle to 21.
Other parts of the measure, including background checks and waiting periods for purchasing semiautomatic rifles, and storage requirements for all guns, would take effect July 1, 2019, according to ballot language and descriptions from the Washington Secretary of State’s office and Ballotpedia:
- Prospective semiautomatic rifle buyers would have to provide dealers with proof they have completed a firearm safety training program in the last five years.
- Local law enforcement would be required to perform a background check on buyers, using the national instant criminal background check system, and notify the dealer in writing that the purchaser is eligible to buy a gun.
- Existing requirements that dealers wait to deliver pistols to buyers who have outstanding arrest warrants until their warrants are served would be expanded to include semiautomatic rifles. Local law enforcement officials could also delay sales for all types of firearms for up to 30 days to verify records.
- Currently, courts and law enforcement agencies can request that mental health institutions and health care facilities release information relevant to
