Brief Description: Clarifying the effective date of renewed concealed pistol permits.

Brief Summary of Bill

• Provides that once an application for a renewal license is made, an existing concealed pistol license (CPL) remains effective until a renewal application is approved or denied;

• Provides that a renewed license is effective from the expiration date of the prior license.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Lantz, Chair; Moeller, Vice Chair; Carrell, Ranking Minority Member; McMahan, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell, Flannigan, Kirby, Lovick and Newhouse.

Generally, a person is required to have a concealed pistol license (CPL) in order to carry a pistol "concealed on his or her person." A person seeking a CPL must apply to a local law enforcement agency, which generally has 30 days to perform the necessary background checks and process the application. A CPL costs $36 and is valid for five years.

A CPL may be renewed for a fee of $32. The application for renewal may be within 90 days before or after the expiration date of an existing license. (A $10 penalty is assessed for a renewal application made after the expiration of a prior license, however.) A renewed license is to take effect on the expiration date of the prior license.

The renewal process requires the same background and criminal history check that is required for an original application for a CPL.

Depending on when a renewal application is made during the allowed 180-day period surrounding the expiration of the prior license, and depending on how long the renewal process takes, an existing CPL may expire before the renewal application is approved. During this period the license holder has no valid CPL, even though the renewed license will eventually be retroactively effective if it is approved.

If application is made to renew a CPL, the existing CPL remains in effect until the renewal application is granted or denied. Once a renewal license is granted it is effective from the date of expiration of the previous license.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The current law may create a gap between licenses. A person who applies for a renewed CPL may have to wait for approval beyond the expiration date of his or her license. The bill removes an ambiguity in the law.

Persons Testifying: Representative Delvin, prime sponsor; and Joe Waldron, Washington Arms Collectors and Washington State Rifle and Pistol Association.