Gun transfer bills introduced
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 3 months AGO
OLYMPIA — State legislators announced on Monday that bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to regulate the purchase and transfer of firearms in Washington, according to a statement from Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline) and Rep. Liz Berry (D-Seattle).
The bills, HB 1143 regarding permits, HB 1144 on training, and SB 5232, which encompasses both, require 10-day waiting periods on all gun purchases, as well as proof of firearms training, according to the statement. Firearms purchasers and transferees would be required to provide a firearms dealer with proof of completion of a certified firearms safety training program within the previous five years.
Legislation would also prohibit a dealer from transferring any firearm to a purchaser or transferee until 10 days after the request for a background check. Additionally, the package of bills requires permits for firearm purchases and applies firearms transfer applications and record-keeping requirements for all firearms, not just the currently-covered pistols and semiautomatic rifles.
Other changes include updating firearm transfer and background check processes to conform with the implementation of the state’s firearms background check program.
“These policies will save lives,” Salomon wrote in the statement. “We are tired of the devastating headlines from our communities here in Washington and across the country announcing the death of loved ones due to gun violence. There is no one bill that will solve this crisis, but preventing impulse buys by would-be killers, ensuring sufficient time to complete background checks, and requiring safety training to help reduce accidents and suicides are strong steps forward that will save lives.”
MORE STORIES
ARTICLES BY STAFF REPORT

Commodity report for March 17, 2025
Commodity report as of March 17, 2025

Thurston Wolfe Winery expands staff
PROSSER — Collin Meharg has joined the staff of Thurston Wolfe Winery as assistant winemaker. Meharg joins co-owner and winemaker Wade Wolfe and assistant winemaker Chris Wright. Meharg, a graduate of Central Washington University, said he got interested in winemaking because of his interest in chemistry. “I was a teaching assistant in the lab at CWU for two years and that piqued my interest,” he said in a press release announcing his hiring. He likes almost any kind of wine, he said, but has a preference for wine that’s more acidic.

WSU selects Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Cantwell as new president of university
PULLMAN — Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell has been appointed as the 12th president of Washington State University, following a comprehensive nationwide search that identified over 260 candidates, according to a statement from the university. Cantwell is set to officially assume her role on April 1, succeeding Kirk Schulz, who has served as president since 2016 and who will continue as a senior advisor during the transition until June 2025. The WSU Board of Regents unanimously selected Cantwell during their recent meeting.