The legislature finds that gun violence is a public health crisis in Washington state. For over 30 years, local towns, cities, and counties have been blocked from taking action on their own to prevent gun violence because of the statewide preemption of local regulations relating to firearms. The legislature intends to provide local jurisdictions the ability to build upon statewide standards and adopt responsible approaches to firearms regulations to help address the epidemic of firearm violence in their communities by restoring inherent local authority to adopt firearms regulations under the police power to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 9.41. Here is the modified chapter for context.
This chapter does not affect, modify, or limit the power of a city, municipality, or county in this state to adopt an ordinance or regulation relating to firearms that is in addition to or more restrictive than the requirements of this chapter.