Controversial permit-to-purchase gun bill clears Washington House
Democrats in the Washington state House on Saturday approved an overhaul of the state’s system for buying guns.
House Bill 1163 would require a state permit to purchase firearms. Majority Democrats pushed the bill through without any Republican votes. It’s a big step forward for the idea, which didn’t advance out of committee last year. The bill has attracted stiff opposition from gun owners and others who argue their constitutional right shouldn’t require a permit.
But supporters say that the permit system — which about a dozen other states have on the books — would make Washington safer.
“We know that this policy works,” Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, the bill’s sponsor, said on the House floor ahead of the 58-38 vote. It will make sure guns don’t get into the wrong hands and diverted into the black market where they could be used in crimes, she said.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/03/08/controversial-permit-to-purchase-gun-bill-clears-washington-senate/