Senate Bill 5491

Source

Section 1

This section modifies existing section 9.41.010. Here is the modified chapter for context.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

  1. "Antique firearm" means a firearm or replica of a firearm not designed or redesigned for using rim fire or conventional center fire ignition with fixed ammunition and manufactured in or before 1898, including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1898, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

  2. "Barrel length" means the distance from the bolt face of a closed action down the length of the axis of the bore to the crown of the muzzle, or in the case of a barrel with attachments to the end of any legal device permanently attached to the end of the muzzle.

  3. "Bump-fire stock" means a butt stock designed to be attached to a semiautomatic firearm with the effect of increasing the rate of fire achievable with the semiautomatic firearm to that of a fully automatic firearm by using the energy from the recoil of the firearm to generate reciprocating action that facilitates repeated activation of the trigger.

  4. "Crime of violence" means:

    1. Any of the following felonies, as now existing or hereafter amended: Any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or an attempt to commit a class A felony, criminal solicitation of or criminal conspiracy to commit a class A felony, manslaughter in the first degree, manslaughter in the second degree, indecent liberties if committed by forcible compulsion, kidnapping in the second degree, arson in the second degree, assault in the second degree, assault of a child in the second degree, extortion in the first degree, burglary in the second degree, residential burglary, and robbery in the second degree;

    2. Any conviction for a felony offense in effect at any time prior to June 6, 1996, which is comparable to a felony classified as a crime of violence in (a) of this subsection; and

    3. Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense comparable to a felony classified as a crime of violence under (a) or (b) of this subsection.

  5. "Curio or relic" has the same meaning as provided in 27 C.F.R. Sec. 478.11.

  6. "Dealer" means a person engaged in the business of selling firearms at wholesale or retail who has, or is required to have, a federal firearms license under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(a). A person who does not have, and is not required to have, a federal firearms license under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(a), is not a dealer if that person makes only occasional sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby, or sells all or part of his or her personal collection of firearms.

  7. "Family or household member" has the same meaning as in RCW 7.105.010.

  8. "Felony" means any felony offense under the laws of this state or any federal or out-of-state offense comparable to a felony offense under the laws of this state.

  9. "Felony firearm offender" means a person who has previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state of any felony firearm offense. A person is not a felony firearm offender under this chapter if any and all qualifying offenses have been the subject of an expungement, pardon, annulment, certificate, or rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted or a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence.

  10. "Felony firearm offense" means:

    1. Any felony offense that is a violation of this chapter;

    2. A violation of RCW 9A.36.045;

    3. A violation of RCW 9A.56.300;

    4. A violation of RCW 9A.56.310;

    5. Any felony offense if the offender was armed with a firearm in the commission of the offense.

  11. "Firearm" means a weapon or device from which a projectile or projectiles may be fired by an explosive such as gunpowder. "Firearm" does not include a flare gun or other pyrotechnic visual distress signaling device, or a powder-actuated tool or other device designed solely to be used for construction purposes.

  12. "Gun" has the same meaning as firearm.

  13. "Intimate partner" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 7.105.010.

  14. "Law enforcement officer" includes a general authority Washington peace officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020, or a specially commissioned Washington peace officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020. "Law enforcement officer" also includes a limited authority Washington peace officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020 if such officer is duly authorized by his or her employer to carry a concealed pistol.

  15. "Lawful permanent resident" has the same meaning afforded a person "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" in 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1101(a)(20).

  16. "Licensed collector" means a person who is federally licensed under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(b).

  17. "Licensed dealer" means a person who is federally licensed under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(a).

  18. "Loaded" means:

    1. There is a cartridge in the chamber of the firearm;

    2. Cartridges are in a clip that is locked in place in the firearm;

    3. There is a cartridge in the cylinder of the firearm, if the firearm is a revolver;

    4. There is a cartridge in the tube or magazine that is inserted in the action; or

    5. There is a ball in the barrel and the firearm is capped or primed if the firearm is a muzzle loader.

  19. "Machine gun" means any firearm known as a machine gun, mechanical rifle, submachine gun, or any other mechanism or instrument not requiring that the trigger be pressed for each shot and having a reservoir clip, disc, drum, belt, or other separable mechanical device for storing, carrying, or supplying ammunition which can be loaded into the firearm, mechanism, or instrument, and fired therefrom at the rate of five or more shots per second.

  20. "Manufacture" means, with respect to a firearm, the fabrication or construction of a firearm.

  21. "Mental health professional" means a psychiatrist, psychologist, physician assistant working with a supervising psychiatrist, psychiatric advanced registered nurse practitioner, psychiatric nurse, social worker, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, and such other mental health professionals as may be defined in statute, or by rules adopted by the department of health pursuant to the provisions of chapter 71.05 RCW.

  22. "Nonimmigrant alien" means a person defined as such in 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1101(a)(15).

  23. "Person" means any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, club, organization, society, joint stock company, or other legal entity.

  24. "Pistol" means any firearm with a barrel less than sixteen inches in length, or is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand.

  25. "Rifle" means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger.

  26. "Sale" and "sell" mean the actual approval of the delivery of a firearm in consideration of payment or promise of payment.

  27. "Secure gun storage" means:

    1. A locked box, gun safe, or other secure locked storage space that is designed to prevent unauthorized use or discharge of a firearm; and

    2. The act of keeping an unloaded firearm stored by such means.

  28. "Semiautomatic assault rifle" means any rifle which utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.

"Semiautomatic assault rifle" does not include antique firearms, any firearm that has been made permanently inoperable, or any firearm that is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action.

  1. "Serious offense" means any of the following felonies or a felony attempt to commit any of the following felonies, as now existing or hereafter amended:

    1. Any crime of violence;

    2. Any felony violation of the uniform controlled substances act, chapter 69.50 RCW, that is classified as a class B felony or that has a maximum term of imprisonment of at least ten years;

    3. Child molestation in the second degree;

    4. Incest when committed against a child under age fourteen;

    5. Indecent liberties;

    6. Leading organized crime;

    7. Promoting prostitution in the first degree;

    8. Rape in the third degree;

    9. Drive-by shooting;

    10. Sexual exploitation;

    11. Vehicular assault, when caused by the operation or driving of a vehicle by a person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or by the operation or driving of a vehicle in a reckless manner;

    12. Vehicular homicide, when proximately caused by the driving of any vehicle by any person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.502, or by the operation of any vehicle in a reckless manner;

    13. Any other class B felony offense with a finding of sexual motivation, as "sexual motivation" is defined under RCW 9.94A.030;

    14. Any other felony with a deadly weapon verdict under RCW 9.94A.825;

    15. Any felony offense in effect at any time prior to June 6, 1996, that is comparable to a serious offense, or any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a serious offense; or

    16. Any felony conviction under RCW 9.41.115.

  2. "Short-barreled rifle" means a rifle having one or more barrels less than sixteen inches in length and any weapon made from a rifle by any means of modification if such modified weapon has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches.

  3. "Short-barreled shotgun" means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun by any means of modification if such modified weapon has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches.

  4. "Shotgun" means a weapon with one or more barrels, designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

  5. "Substance use disorder professional" means a person certified under chapter 18.205 RCW.

  6. "Transfer" means the intended delivery of a firearm to another person without consideration of payment or promise of payment including, but not limited to, gifts and loans. "Transfer" does not include the delivery of a firearm owned or leased by an entity licensed or qualified to do business in the state of Washington to, or return of such a firearm by, any of that entity's employees or agents, defined to include volunteers participating in an honor guard, for lawful purposes in the ordinary course of business.

  7. "Undetectable firearm" means any firearm that is not as detectable as 3.7 ounces of 17-4 PH stainless steel by walk-through metal detectors or magnetometers commonly used at airports or any firearm where the barrel, the slide or cylinder, or the frame or receiver of the firearm would not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the part when examined by the types of X-ray machines commonly used at airports.

  8. "Unlicensed person" means any person who is not a licensed dealer under this chapter.

  9. "Untraceable firearm" means any firearm manufactured after July 1, 2019, that is not an antique firearm and that cannot be traced by law enforcement by means of a serial number affixed to the firearm by a federally licensed manufacturer or importer.

Section 2

This section modifies existing section 9.41.040. Here is the modified chapter for context.

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    1. A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree, if the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm after having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any serious offense as defined in this chapter.

    2. Unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree is a class B felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.

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    1. A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, if the person does not qualify under subsection (1) of this section for the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm:

      1. After having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any felony not specifically listed as prohibiting firearm possession under subsection (1) of this section, or any of the following crimes when committed by one family or household member against another or by one intimate partner against another, committed on or after July 1, 1993: Assault in the fourth degree, coercion, stalking, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass in the first degree, or violation of the provisions of a domestic violence protection order or no-contact order restraining the person or excluding the person from a residence (chapter 7.105 RCW, RCW 10.99.040, or any of the former RCW 26.50.060, 26.50.070, and 26.50.130);

      2. After having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of harassment when committed by one family or household member against another or by one intimate partner against another, committed on or after June 7, 2018;

      3. During any period of time that the person is subject to a court order issued under chapter 7.105, 9A.46, 10.99, 26.09, 26.26A, or 26.26B RCW or any of the former chapters 7.90, 7.92, 10.14, and 26.50 RCW that:

(A) Was issued after a hearing for which the person received actual notice, and at which the person had an opportunity to participate, whether the court then issues a full order or reissues a temporary order. If the court enters an agreed order by the parties without a hearing, such an order meets the requirements of this subsection;

(B) Restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening the person protected under the order or child of the person or protected person, or engaging in other conduct that would place the protected person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the protected person or child; and

(C)(I) Includes a finding that the person represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the protected person or child and by its terms explicitly prohibits the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the protected person or child that would reasonably be expected to cause bodily injury; or

(II) Includes an order under RCW 9.41.800 requiring the person to surrender all firearms and prohibiting the person from accessing, having in his or her custody or control, possessing, purchasing, receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, firearms;

    iv. After having previously been involuntarily committed based on a mental disorder under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, chapter 10.77 RCW, or equivalent statutes of another jurisdiction, unless his or her right to possess a firearm has been restored as provided in RCW 9.41.047;

v. After dismissal of criminal charges based on incompetency to stand trial under RCW 10.77.088 when the court has made a finding indicating that the defendant has a history of one or more violent acts, unless his or her right to possess a firearm has been restored as provided in RCW 9.41.047;

vi. If the person is under 18 years of age, except as provided in RCW 9.41.042; and/or

vii. If the person is free on bond or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal, or sentencing for a serious offense as defined in RCW 9.41.010.

b. Unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree is a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
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    1. A person, whether an adult or a juvenile, is found to have committed the civil infraction of unlawful possession of a firearm if the person has in his or her possession or has in his or her control a firearm after the person files a voluntary waiver of firearm rights under RCW 9.41.350 and the form has been accepted by the clerk of the court.

    2. Possession or control of a firearm after submitting a waiver of firearm rights, but prior to a lawful revocation of the waiver is a class 4 civil infraction punishable according to chapter 7.80 RCW. Each firearm unlawfully possessed under this subsection (3)(b) shall be a separate infraction.

  2. Notwithstanding RCW 9.41.047 or any other provisions of law, as used in this chapter, a person has been "convicted," whether in an adult court or adjudicated in a juvenile court, at such time as a plea of guilty has been accepted or a verdict of guilty has been filed, notwithstanding the pendency of any future proceedings including, but not limited to, sentencing or disposition, post-trial or post-fact-finding motions, and appeals. Conviction includes a dismissal entered after a period of probation, suspension, or deferral of sentence, and also includes equivalent dispositions by courts in jurisdictions other than Washington state. A person shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm if the conviction has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, certificate of rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted or the conviction or disposition has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence. Where no record of the court's disposition of the charges can be found, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person was not convicted of the charge.

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    1. Notwithstanding subsection (1) or (2) of this section, a person convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense prohibiting the possession of a firearm under this section other than murder, manslaughter, robbery, rape, indecent liberties, arson, assault, kidnapping, extortion, burglary, or violations with respect to controlled substances under RCW 69.50.401 and 69.50.410, who received a probationary sentence under RCW 9.95.200, and who received a dismissal of the charge under RCW 9.95.240, shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm as a result of the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, if a person is prohibited from possession of a firearm under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and has not previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of a sex offense prohibiting firearm ownership under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and/or any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or with a maximum sentence of at least 20 years, or both, the individual may petition a court of record to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored:

      1. Under RCW 9.41.047; and/or

      ii.(A) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a felony offense, after five or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525; or

(B) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a nonfelony offense, after three or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525 and the individual has completed all conditions of the sentence.

b. An individual may petition a court of record to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored under (a) of this subsection only at:

    i. The court of record that ordered the petitioner's prohibition on possession of a firearm; or

    ii. The superior court in the county in which the petitioner resides.
  1. In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, if a person under the age of 18 years is found by a court to have possessed a firearm in a vehicle in violation of subsection (1) or (2) of this section or to have committed an offense while armed with a firearm during which offense a motor vehicle served an integral function, the court shall notify the department of licensing within 24 hours and the person's privilege to drive shall be revoked under RCW 46.20.265, unless the offense is the juvenile's first offense in violation of this section and has not committed an offense while armed with a firearm, an unlawful possession of a firearm offense, or an offense in violation of chapter 66.44, 69.52, 69.41, or 69.50 RCW.

  2. Nothing in chapter 129, Laws of 1995 shall ever be construed or interpreted as preventing an offender from being charged and subsequently convicted for the separate felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, in addition to being charged and subsequently convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree. Notwithstanding any other law, if the offender is convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree and for the felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, then the offender shall serve consecutive sentences for each of the felony crimes of conviction listed in this subsection.

  3. Each firearm unlawfully possessed under this section shall be a separate offense.

Section 3

This section modifies existing section 9.41.098. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The superior courts and the courts of limited jurisdiction of the state may order forfeiture of a firearm which is proven to be:

    1. Found concealed on a person not authorized by RCW 9.41.060 or 9.41.070 to carry a concealed pistol: PROVIDED, That it is an absolute defense to forfeiture if the person possessed a valid Washington concealed pistol license within the preceding two years and has not become ineligible for a concealed pistol license in the interim. Before the firearm may be returned, the person must pay the past due renewal fee and the current renewal fee;

    2. Commercially sold to any person without an application as required by RCW 9.41.090;

    3. In the possession of a person prohibited from possessing the firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or 9.41.045;

    4. In the possession or under the control of a person at the time the person committed or was arrested for committing a felony or committing a nonfelony crime in which a firearm was used or displayed;

    5. In the possession of a person who is in any place in which a concealed pistol license is required, and who is under the influence of any drug or under the influence of intoxicating liquor, as defined in chapter 46.61 RCW;

    6. In the possession of a person free on bail or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal, or sentencing for a felony or for a nonfelony crime in which a firearm was used or displayed, except that violations of Title 77 RCW shall not result in forfeiture under this section;

    7. In the possession of a person found to have been mentally incompetent while in possession of a firearm when apprehended or who is thereafter committed pursuant to chapter 10.77 RCW or committed for mental health treatment under chapter 71.05 RCW;

    8. Used or displayed by a person in the violation of a proper written order of a court of general jurisdiction; or

    9. Used in the commission of a felony or of a nonfelony crime in which a firearm was used or displayed.

  2. Upon order of forfeiture, the court in its discretion may order destruction of any forfeited firearm. A court may temporarily retain forfeited firearms needed for evidence.

    1. Except as provided in (b), (c), and (d) of this subsection, firearms that are: (i) Judicially forfeited and no longer needed for evidence; or (ii) forfeited due to a failure to make a claim under RCW 63.32.010 or 63.40.010; may be disposed of in any manner determined by the local legislative authority. Any proceeds of an auction or trade may be retained by the legislative authority. This subsection (2)(a) applies only to firearms that come into the possession of the law enforcement agency after June 30, 1993.

By midnight, June 30, 1993, every law enforcement agency shall prepare an inventory, under oath, of every firearm that has been judicially forfeited, has been seized and may be subject to judicial forfeiture, or that has been, or may be, forfeited due to a failure to make a claim under RCW 63.32.010 or 63.40.010.

b. Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, of the inventoried firearms a law enforcement agency shall destroy illegal firearms, may retain a maximum of ten percent of legal forfeited firearms for agency use, and shall either:

    i. Comply with the provisions for the auction of firearms in **this section** that were in effect immediately preceding May 7, 1993; or

    ii. Trade, auction, or arrange for the auction of, rifles and shotguns. In addition, the law enforcement agency shall either trade, auction, or arrange for the auction of, short firearms, or shall pay a fee of twenty-five dollars to the state treasurer for every short firearm neither auctioned nor traded, to a maximum of fifty thousand dollars. The fees shall be accompanied by an inventory, under oath, of every short firearm listed in the inventory required by (a) of this subsection, that has been neither traded nor auctioned. The state treasurer shall credit the fees to the firearms range account established in RCW 79A.25.210. All trades or auctions of firearms under this subsection shall be to licensed dealers. Proceeds of any auction less costs, including actual costs of storage and sale, shall be forwarded to the firearms range account established in RCW 79A.25.210.

c. Antique firearms and firearms recognized as curios, relics, and firearms of particular historical significance by the United States treasury department bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives are exempt from destruction and shall be disposed of by auction or trade to licensed dealers.

d. Firearms in the possession of the Washington state patrol on or after May 7, 1993, that are judicially forfeited and no longer needed for evidence, or forfeited due to a failure to make a claim under RCW 63.35.020, must be disposed of as follows: (i) Firearms illegal for any person to possess must be destroyed; (ii) the Washington state patrol may retain a maximum of ten percent of legal firearms for agency use; and (iii) all other legal firearms must be auctioned or traded to licensed dealers. The Washington state patrol may retain any proceeds of an auction or trade. **This subsection (2)(d) does not apply to firearms that are voluntarily forfeited after a valid voluntary waiver of firearm rights is signed and has not been revoked under RCW 9.41.350.**
  1. The court shall order the firearm returned to the owner upon a showing that there is no probable cause to believe a violation of subsection (1) of this section existed or the firearm was stolen from the owner or the owner neither had knowledge of nor consented to the act or omission involving the firearm which resulted in its forfeiture.

  2. A law enforcement officer of the state or of any county or municipality may confiscate a firearm found to be in the possession of a person under circumstances specified in subsection (1) of this section. After confiscation, the firearm shall not be surrendered except: (a) To the prosecuting attorney for use in subsequent legal proceedings; (b) for disposition according to an order of a court having jurisdiction as provided in subsection (1) of this section; or (c) to the owner if the proceedings are dismissed or as directed in subsection (3) of this section.

Section 4

This section modifies existing section 9.41.350. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. A person may file a voluntary waiver of firearm rights**, either in writing or electronically,** with the clerk of the court in any county in Washington state. The clerk of the court must request a physical or scanned copy of photo identification to verify the person's identity prior to accepting the form. The person filing the form may provide the name of a family member, mental health professional, substance use disorder professional, or alternate person to be contacted if the filer attempts to purchase a firearm while the voluntary waiver of firearm rights is in effect or if the filer applies to have the voluntary waiver revoked. The clerk of the court must immediately give notice to the person filing the form if the filer's voluntary waiver of firearm rights has been accepted. The notice must state that the filer's possession or control of a firearm is unlawful under RCW 9.41.040(3) and that any firearm in the filer's possession or control should be surrendered immediately pursuant to RCW 9.41.040. By the end of the business day, the clerk of the court must transmit the accepted form to the Washington state patrol. The Washington state patrol must enter the voluntary waiver of firearm rights into the national instant criminal background check system and any other federal or state computer-based systems used by law enforcement agencies or others to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms within twenty-four hours of receipt of the form. Copies and records of the voluntary waiver of firearm rights shall not be disclosed except to law enforcement agencies.

  2. No sooner than seven calendar days after filing a voluntary waiver of firearm rights, the person may file a revocation of the voluntary waiver of firearm rights in the same county where the voluntary waiver of firearm rights was filed. The clerk of the court must request photo identification to verify the person's identity prior to accepting the form. By the end of the business day, the clerk of the court must transmit the form to the Washington state patrol and to any family member, mental health professional, substance use disorder professional, or alternate person listed on the voluntary waiver of firearm rights and destroy all records of the voluntary waiver. Within seven days of receiving a revocation of a voluntary waiver of firearm rights, the Washington state patrol must remove the person from the national instant criminal background check system, and any other federal or state computer-based systems used by law enforcement agencies or others to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms in which the person was entered, unless the person is otherwise ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040, and destroy all records of the voluntary waiver.

  3. A person who knowingly makes a false statement regarding their identity on the voluntary waiver of firearm rights form or revocation of waiver of firearm rights form is guilty of false swearing under RCW 9A.72.040.

  4. Neither a voluntary waiver of firearm rights nor a revocation of a voluntary waiver of firearm rights shall be considered by a court in any legal proceeding.

  5. A voluntary waiver of firearm rights may not be required of an individual as a condition for receiving employment, benefits, or services.

  6. All records obtained and all reports produced, as required by this section, are not subject to disclosure through the public records act under chapter 42.56 RCW.

Section 5

This section modifies existing section 9.41.352. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The administrator for the courts, under the direction of the chief justice, shall develop a voluntary waiver of firearm rights form and a revocation of voluntary waiver of firearm rights form by January 1, 2019.

  2. The forms must include all of the information necessary for identification and entry of the person into the national instant criminal background check system, and any other federal or state computer-based systems used by law enforcement agencies or others to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms. The voluntary waiver of firearm rights form must include the following language:

Because you have filed this voluntary waiver of firearm rights, effective immediately you may not purchase , receive**, control, or possess** any firearm. You may revoke this voluntary waiver of firearm rights any time after at least seven calendar days have elapsed since the time of filing.

  1. The forms must be made available on the administrator for the courts website, at all county clerk offices, and must also be made widely available at firearm and ammunition dealers and health care provider locations.

Section 6

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 9.41. Here is the modified chapter for context.

Mental health professionals and substance use disorder professionals as defined in RCW 9.41.010 are encouraged to discuss the voluntary waiver of firearm rights with their patients if the mental health professional or substance use disorder professional reasonably believes that a discussion will avoid or minimize an imminent danger to the health or safety of the individual or any other individual; however, there is no obligation to do so.


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