Videos tagged with Washington State Preemption

This video details how the City of Edmonds' attempt to enact local gun control ordinances, specifically safe storage mandates, was unanimously struck down by the Washington State Supreme Court. William Kirk, President of Washington Gun Law, explains that these local laws violated state preemption laws (RCW 9.41.290), which reserve firearm regulation to the state legislature to ensure uniformity. The legal challenges, initiated by Mr. Bass and the NRA, resulted in a series of losses for the city, culminating in a 9-0 Supreme Court decision affirming state preemption.

This video explains Washington State Senate Bill 5568, which proposes to amend RCW 9.41.300 to allow cities, towns, and counties to restrict the open carry of firearms at public meetings, government facilities, and permitted demonstrations. The speaker, William Kirk of Washington Gun Law, emphasizes the importance of state preemption in firearms regulation and warns against the 'slippery slope' of allowing local governments to enact more restrictive laws, even if seemingly minor.

In Washington State, RCW 9.41.290 establishes state preemption over firearms regulation, meaning cities and municipalities cannot enact their own gun laws that are more restrictive than state law. While municipalities can regulate zoning for firearms businesses and restrict firearms in specific locations authorized by RCW 9.41.300, they cannot create additional prohibitions on possession, purchase, or transfer. Past attempts by cities to impose stricter regulations have been struck down by courts, reinforcing the strength of state preemption.