OLYMPIA – Today, the House passed House Bill 1010 56 to 42 to give the Washington State Patrol the discretion to destroy forfeited firearms in their custody.
“It’s past time for us to give the Washington State Patrol the authority they’re asking for to keep our friends and families safe,” said Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island). “The mass shooting last night in downtown Seattle is a tragic reminder of why we need responsible gun policies. As a mom, as a daughter, and as a state representative I want to be able to sleep at night knowing I’ve done everything I can to protect our families.”
Currently, the Washington State Patrol is the only law enforcement agency in the state that doesn’t have the authority to destroy guns that come into their possession. Their only options are to sell or recirculate them. House bill 1010 simply provides the State Patrol with an option already available to other law enforcement agencies, to bring more consistency and help prevent forfeited firearms from later being used to harm or kill people.