HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2979

BYHouse Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representative Appelwick)

Regulating forfeited firearms.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Forner, Inslee, P. King, Locke, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Schmidt, Scott, D. Sommers, Tate and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Belcher and Hargrove.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 13, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Firearms illegally used or possessed may, under certain circumstances, be seized and forfeited.  When weapons are forfeited, one of three actions is to be taken.  Firearms that are illegal for anyone to possess, are to be destroyed.  Up to ten percent of other weapons may be retained by law enforcement agencies for their own use.  The remainder of the forfeited weapons are to be sold at auction.

The proceeds of the sale of forfeited firearms are divided as follows.  The agency that seized the weapons is reimbursed for the cost of storage and sale.  The rest of the proceeds go to the state department of wildlife for use in its firearms training program.

SUMMARY:

A new division is made of the proceeds of the sale of forfeited firearms, and law enforcement agencies are given an alternative to sale for disposing of firearms.  The agency that seizes the firearms and sells them may keep 60 percent of the proceeds.  The remaining 40 percent goes to the state firearms range account for use in the purchase of land and the development and operation of firearms ranges and sport training and practice facilities.

Instead of selling forfeited firearms, an agency may trade the weapons for other firearms or police equipment.

The requirement that forfeited legal weapons be sold is removed.  Local jurisdictions may by ordinance provide for the destruction of all forfeited weapons.  Firearms manufactured before 1918 may not be destroyed.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 30, 1990.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Joe Mathews, Port Orchard Chief of Police (for original bill)

House Committee - Testified Against:      Dennis Cook, Washington Arms Collectors (against original bill).

House Committee - Testimony For:    None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      Destroying weapons is a waste of resources.  (Against original bill.)