The new Washington state law requiring lawful citizens to jump through a number of government hoops and acquire a permit before purchasing a firearm is considered to be unconstitutional by many observers, including at least one county sheriff in the Evergreen State.
The measure, House Bill 1163, created a permit-to-purchase scheme that requires government permission to purchase or transfer a firearm, adds a live-fire training component and establishes an illegal government registry of firearm owners and their personal information.
Washington’s Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the arguably unconstitutional bill into law on May 20. The new law even requires extensive live-fire training before purchasing a gun, along with a $32 fee to acquire the permit.
The law states: “In addition to the other requirements of this chapter, no dealer may deliver a firearm to the purchaser or transferee thereof until: (a) The purchaser provides proof of completion of a recognized firearm safety training program within the last five years that complies with the requirements in RCW 9.41.1132, or proof that the purchaser is exempt from the training requirement or transferee produces a valid permit to purchase firearms under section 2 of this act.”
Things aren’t all rosy for Gov. Ferguson and Washington’s anti-gun Democrats, though. Now, one county sheriff is speaking out about the measure, saying he won’t be enforcing the new law in his county.
“This ‘law’ is unconstitutional,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank posted on X. “PCSO will not enforce it. Join me and fight for our rights.”
Hellbound and Down 