Subject of Possible Rule Making: Carrying firearms on state capitol grounds.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 43.19.125, 46.08.150.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department has granted a rule-making petition to amend WAC 236-12-470 to repeal existing prohibitions on carrying firearms on state capitol grounds. RCW 9.41.290, enacted some years after the adoption of WAC 236-12-470, gives exclusive authority to the legislature to regulate firearms, including the registration and possession of firearms. Recent bills presented to the legislature would have prohibited firearms on the state capitol grounds, however, the legislature declined to pass this legislation in both the 2000 and 2004 sessions.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The Washington State Patrol provides law enforcement for the state capitol grounds and will be consulted throughout the preparation of the new rules.

     Process for Developing New Rule:      Agency study.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting the Department of General Administration Rules Coordinator, Martin D. Casey, Legislative and Business Relations Manager, P.O. Box 41000, Olympia, WA 98504-1000, phone (360) 902-7208, fax (360) 586-5898.

May 5, 2004

R. D. Fukai

Director

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