WA State Warning: Push to change CWP Law from 'Shall Issue' to 'May Issue'

[ANGLICO]

by CHRIS INGALLS / KING 5 News
NWCN.com
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:08 PM

Updated yesterday at 5:20 PM



My Comment/Questions: Anyone from WA State have a better feel for how much or how little it would take the Legislature to change to 'May Issue?' How big of a threat is this? I could see Seattle and Tacoma leaning this way, but what about the rest of the more rural state? Especially east of the mountains. Or, is this just one little group that will get very little traction in WA?


---------------(Article)------------

SEATTLE – A national organization is using Wednesday’s deadly shootings in Seattle to push for new gun laws in Washington state. It says a one word change to the law could have prevented someone like Ian Stawicki, the mentally troubled man who shot and killed five people, from getting a concealed weapons permit.

"There are some people who should not own a gun. It can be a devastating thing,” said Nina Schumacher, niece of one of the victims in the shooting at Café Racer.

---(snip)---

The foundation wants lawmakers to replace a single word in the law which says police agencies “shall” issue concealed weapons permits to qualifying people. They want it to say “may” issue – giving police an option that they may or may not issue a permit.

---(snip)---

The changes proposed by Brady wouldn’t have stopped the gun sale, but denying Stawicki a concealed carry permit would have made it illegal for him to walk around with a gun tucked under his clothes, just as he did Wednesday morning.

Read the rest at:NWCN.com Washington - Oregon - Idaho

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[keboostman]

The problem with "may issue" is that someone has to decide. I would be comfortable being the "decider", but would not trust anyone else without specific criteria for not issuing (e.g convicted felon, documented mental illness, history of alcohol abuse, etc). We already know that laws are not going to prevent law-breakers from doing mischief and destruction.

[RightyLefty]

It was illegal for him to shoot all those people yet nothing stopped him from doing that so what is to stop him from carrying a concealed weapon if he didn't have a permit???? You don't give him a permit and all of a sudden he somehow acquires a conscience. I am sure he would think to himself, "darn it, carrying a concealed weapon is illegal for me to do so I guess I won't kill all those people now." This thinking is f-ing stupid.

[Happypuppy]

I don't see it happening in WA it would have a difficult time passing. It is pretty well know its political suicide to push gun control outside of Seattle. I am glad to see that the Second Amendment Foundation is involved. The NRA is nowhere to be seen, and one of the reasons I now support the SAF


Sent from my 300 baud modem

[sensei2]

imo, it would be very difficult for the gun grabbers to succeed with such a change. Washington State's Constitution specifically gives INDIVIDUALS the right to own guns. and the state has had 'shall issue' concealed carry for a much longer time than most states - 1940's?, 1950's? that's not to say it couldn't happen. Seattle and Tacoma tend to be more anti-gun than the rest of the state, and because of their population, can somewhat dominate state politics. the rest of the state would resist vigorously, though, which is why i believe such an attempt will fail.



"every time there's a spree shooting, they want to take the guns away from people who didn't do it." Wm. S. Burroughs

[RayBar]

Always hacking at the branches and never getting to the root of the problem!

[sniper58]

It was illegal for him to shoot all those people yet nothing stopped him from doing that so what is to stop him from carrying a concealed weapon if he didn't have a permit???? You don't give him a permit and all of a sudden he somehow acquires a conscience. I am sure he would think to himself, "darn it, carrying a concealed weapon is illegal for me to do so I guess I won't kill all those people now." This thinking is f-ing stupid.

Hard to add anything to this post! But, lefties don't think like this. One thing my grandfather said often, "don't ever argue with idiots. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." The Brady Bunch tries to exploit EVERY firearm incident to gain traction for their cause, regardless of who (victim's families) get caught in the "cross fire."

[DaveH]

Hard to add anything to this post!

How about...

The Brady Bunch [wait a minute. I can't use that language here. ]

Dealing w/ the Brady Bunch

Here's to you Brady Bunch

[randian]

The phrase "denying Stawicki a concealed carry permit would have made it illegal for him to walk around with a gun tucked under his clothes" implies he had a WA concealed carry permit, but are we certain he actually had one? It wouldn't be the first time orgs like the Brady's couch lies about guns in the form of implied statements.

Do not forget that WA is an open-carry state, so worrying about him carrying concealed is absurd.

[Harryball]

The incident itself was horrible. The knee jerk reaction is typical.

[DaveH]

... but are we certain he actually had one? It wouldn't be the first time orgs like the Brady's couch lies about guns in the form of implied statements.

Let me fix that. "But was the Brady Bunch certain he actually had one?"


OTOH, you are right. When have they worried about the facts, the truth, etc

[livewire]

I doubt this will go anywhere... there's an attack on our CCW and Preemption laws on a regular basis, but they're usually shut down fairly quickly. This just happens to be the first one in a while that's made the news.

I don't see it happening in WA it would have a difficult time passing. It is pretty well know its political suicide to push gun control outside of Seattle. I am glad to see that the Second Amendment Foundation is involved. The NRA is nowhere to be seen, and one of the reasons I now support the SAF

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. The NRA isn't involved yet, but give them time. If this bill actually gets any support from the legislature, I guarantee they'll show up. While I agree that you are right to support the SAF, the NRA does more than anyone else to defend our gun rights, even if only because they have more money and voice in DC, and they shouldn't be abandoned or criticized.

If I had the money, I'd join every one of them, and donate heavily to all. Of course, being broke most of the time means I have to choose who I support, and the NRA gets my dollar when I have only one.