The bill looks to make illegal the sale, manufacture, and distribution of “ghost guns”; weapons that cannot be traced by law enforcement via a serial number. Representative Liz Berry (D-Seattle) forwarded the bill because of a crisis she claims is at record highs.
“(Gun violence) is now the leading cause of death for children and teenagers,” Berry claims. “As a mother, that is terrifying to me.”
Berry also claims that from 2016 to 2020, Washington law enforcement agencies confiscated 24,000 ghost guns from crime scenes.
However, not everyone feels the bill will make much difference in many areas of the state.
Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr, when interviewed, could not recall any time where a ghost gun was confiscated by his department.
“Criminals have the ability to get guns when they need them, whether through their network or stealing.” Fuhr says.
Fuhr also admits that his city does not have the same issues that larger cities like Seattle have, but remains neutral on support for the bill.
Others are more vocal in their opposition of the bill. Aoibheann Cline, NRA northwest regional director, says that the bill is another in a line of solutions looking for a problem.
“HB 1705 will do nothing to keep weapons out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them,” Cline says. “Instead, this bill threatens to turn thousands of Washingtonians into criminals overnight.”
Cline also claims this bill will infringe on the American tradition of constructing homemade firearms for self defense that goes back centuries.
At press time, the bill is awaiting its second reading in the Washington Senate Rules Committee after passing out of the Senate’s Committee on Law & Justice.
