SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1716

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Law & Justice, February 25, 1998

Title:  An act relating to records of pistol purchases or transfers.

Brief Description:  Eliminating the authority of the department of licensing to keep records of pistol purchases or transfers.

Sponsors:  Representative McMorris.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Law & Justice:  4/1/97; 1/16/98, 2/25/98 [DP, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Johnson, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Long, Stevens and Zarelli.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Kline and Thibaudeau.

Staff:  David Johnson (786-7754)

Background:  Under the state's firearms law, records of certain transactions involving firearms are maintained by the Department of Licensing (DOL).

Among those records are applications for concealed pistol licenses, applications for alien firearm licenses, applications to purchase pistols, and records of pistol transfers.  Generally, these records are exempt from the public records law and may be released only to law enforcement agencies or the Department of Corrections.

Issuers of concealed pistol licenses or alien firearm licenses and dealers who sell or transfer pistols are required to send copies of the records of these transactions to DOL.  Dealers are also required to send copies of records of pistol sales to the local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which the purchaser lives.  Dealers are required to keep copies for at least six years.

Summary of Bill:  The authority of DOL to maintain records of applications to purchase pistols and of pistol sales and transfers is removed.  Dealers are no longer required to send copies of the records of such transactions to DOL.  Copies must still be sent to local law enforcement agencies and kept by the dealers.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  No one.