On May 8, 2019, Governor Jay Inslee signed seven bills concerning gun safety into Washington State law. Presidential candidate Jay Inslee would like to do the same for the nation.
- HB 1465 removes a provision allowing a licensed gun dealer to deliver a handgun to any of the 600,000 individuals with a valid state-issued concealed pistol license without the completion of an additional background check at the point of sale. While several states allow such an exemption, Washington will not be one of them.
- HB 1739 makes it a violation of state law to make or possess “undetectable and untraceable firearms,” which is already a federal crime. The bill also outlaws sending a printable 3-D gun file to a person who is ineligible to possess a firearm. Punishment for the new class of state crimes ranges from a misdemeanor to a class C felony.
- HB 1786 applies the same procedures and standards for the mandatory surrender of firearms under the state’s 2016 Extreme Risk Protection Order or “red flag” law to the surrender process for other types of protection orders.
- SB 5027 strengthens the state’s ERPO law to include enforcement against those under age 18. The ERPO process can lead to an order prohibiting firearms possession for up to one year and could be renewed annually.
- SB 5181 suspends the firearm rights of a person detained for 72 hours under the involuntary treatment act. The suspension would last six months and could be challenged in court.
- SB 5205 requires courts to determine whether a defendant has a history of violent acts when dismissing non-felony charges because the defendant is incompetent to stand trial. This could result in the removal of firearm rights.
- SB 5508 concerns concealed pistol licensing in the state, requiring that all background checks for such permits be conducted through the Washington State Patrol’s Criminal Identification Section and must include a fingerprint background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
During the first Democratic Debate, candidates were asked what was the greatest threat to America’s national security. Governor Jay Inslee surprised many by naming—not climate change as a “single-issue” candidate might—but “Donald Trump”. By dismantling our federal governmental agency, abrogating laws, defunding public health and safety programs, and breaking our international relationships with allies, Trump has damaged the apparatus we will need to face the dangers of either climate crisis or white nationalist gun violence.
During the second Democratic Debate, Jay Inslee made it much clearer just who is occupying the White House to huge applause: a WHITE NATIONALIST.
In the following post-second-Democratic-debate clip after he’d called out our current White House resident as a “White Nationalist”, Governor Inslee had this to say about how he’d decided upon this statement.
The deadly threat posed by white nationalism is by now well-known to federal law enforcement, yet the United States government still lacks a coherent strategy to respond to the threat posed by white nationalist gun violence. The failure to implement such a strategy is made even worse by President Trump’s denial of the threat, and his open signaling that prosecutions of white nationalist violence are unwelcome. Reversing this situation starts with defeating President Trump and reaffirming once again that it is unacceptable for a white nationalist to occupy the Oval Office.
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Gun violence is not the only tool available to white nationalists, and hate-inspired mass shootings are not the only gun violence challenge our country faces. But in this unique moment in American history, our country requires a president who will meet this challenge head-on with a strategy that unrelentingly confronts this vile ideology.
Addressing the Rise of White Nationalism
As president, Governor Inslee will instruct his attorney general to lead development of a whole-of-government strategy to take on right-wing extremism at home and abroad, involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the State Department, and more.
1. Directing Federal Law Enforcement Resources To Confront White Nationalism
Charging the Trump administration with “gutting” federal resources meant to confront domestic extremists, Governor Inslee would reinstate and expand federal funding for:
- De-radicaliztion programs (e.g. Life After Hate)
- Intervention grants, and
- Investigative resources.
Jay Inslee would also dedicate additional federal law enforcement resources to lead joint federal-state investigations of white nationalist activity to ensure that “federal law enforcement agencies are prioritizing the white nationalist threat appropriately”.
2. Creating Systems to Identify, Track, and Prosecute White Nationalist Extremists:
Today, the United States fails to provide direct sufficient resources to identify, track, and publicly report on white nationalist activity. The FBI last issued a report on the state of domestic terrorism in 2005. As president, Governor Inslee would:
- Reinstate the requirement for an annual public report on the domestic terror threat,
- Support the bill Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has introduced--the DomesticTerrorism Prevention Act, and
- Strengthen implementation of laws like the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which requires the Department of Justice to compile and report the number of bias crimes but is severely under-enforced.
The combination of new data sources would help enhance federal prosecution of hate crimes, especially where state laws are weak or non-existent.
3. Expanding International Cooperation to Fight White Nationalism
Taking on white nationalist extremism requires coordination with allies abroad, as well as action at home, to confront what is an international violent, anti-democratic movement. The alleged perpetrator of the El Paso shooting was reportedly encouraged by the March 2019 massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand, and international white nationalist networks are helping to fuel attacks here in the United States.
Under the Inslee administration, America will expand partnerships with:
- International intelligence and domestic law enforcement agencies,
- Non-governmental organizations, and
- Private businesses like social media corporations, to take a unified and mutually-supportive approach to countering violent extremism.
ADDRESSING THE EASE-OF-ACCESS TO FIREARMS
"No one in America should ever live in fear because of the color of their skin, where they were born, or who they love." Inslee said in a statement released by his campaign. "We need a president who will take on the twin epidemics of rising white nationalism and rising gun violence that have cost too many American lives."
~Presidential candidate Jay Inslee/CBS News
In addition to strengthening the background check system, investing millions in federal gun violence prevention research, creating a system of licensing and training requirements for firearm possession, and other common sense measures, Governor Inslee’s strategy to address the intersection between white nationalism and gun violence includes:
4. National Assault Weapons Ban
As president, Governor Inslee will reinstate a national assault weapons ban, as well as a ban on high-capacity magazines. These high-powered weapons greatly amplify the carnage that can be caused by an assailant determined to take as many lives as possible.
Jay Inslee believes that a person’s integrity rides on his willingness to stand for what is right, no matter the cost. In 1994, then-US Representative Jay Inslee cast a critical vote in favor of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban while representing a rural, conservative district in Washington state. That vote cost him his congressional seat as he knew it would. He has never regretted that vote because it “was the right thing to do”.
5. National Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO or “Red Flag”)
Perpetrators of mass shootings often demonstrate warning signs of their intentions, yet all too often, law enforcement and families lack the tools to prevent tragedy.
A National ERPO would:
- Open the federal courts to allow police, family members, and household members to petition for firearms to be temporarily removed from people threatening to harm themselves or others,
- Provide grant assistance states to implement protection order laws, reflecting the essential role of local, regional, tribal, and state law enforcement in tackling this challenge.
Washington State’s ERPO 2019 law which Governor Inslee signed ensures that all hate crimes are a factor to be considered in granting an order, making it the first hate specific ERPO in the nation.
6. Disarm Hate
Hate crimes are on the rise in America under President Trump, and 97% of hate crimes reported to have occurred in 2017 were driven by racial, religious ,or anti-LGBTQ bias. Indeed, 2017 was the deadliest year of hate-fueled violence against the LGBTQ community, particularly the transgender community; and anti-Jewish attacks jumped over 37% from 2016-2017.
Under federal and many state laws, only FELONY hate crime convictions prohibit someone from possessing or purchasing a firearm, while MISDEMEANOR hate crimes convictions do not. It’s time for Congress to close this gap by adding misdemeanor hate crimes to the list of federal prohibiting factors that prevent someone from possessing or purchasing a firearm.
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) have proposed legislation to do just that, the “Disarm Hate Act”, and Inslee would sign the bill into law as president.
7. Targeting People Who “Lie And Try” to Buy Guns
In 2017, 112,000 people nationwide who are ineligible to possess firearms attempted to buy one from a licensed firearm dealer. Yet only 12 of those individuals were prosecuted, despite the fact that these attempts to obtain a firearm are illegal and are known to be a “red flag” for future gun crime.
In Washington State, Jay Inslee signed legislation giving law enforcement the power to investigate these cases and also closed the “boyfriend loophole” in federal law by ensuring victims of domestic violence will receive notification if their abuser tries to illegally purchase a firearm.
The Inslee Administration will support Congressional legislation to:
- Provide notification to state law enforcement when a person who “lies and tries” to buy a firearm is blocked by the federal background check system, and
- Dedicate additional federal law enforcement and prosecutorial resources to this unaddressed threat.
8. Close the Charleston Loophole
In 2015, white supremacist Dylann Roof was allowed to obtain a firearm-- despite being legally prohibited from purchasing firearms -- due to the federal “default proceed” rule.
Under current federal law, the FBI has only three business days to complete a background check. After the third day with no notice of prohibition, the federally licensed firearms dealer can decide whether or not to proceed with the sale at their discretion.
The US House has passed legislation to expand the period to 10 days. A President Inslee will close the Charleston loophole, ending the “default proceed” rule altogether.
9. Overhaul and Enhance ATF Enforcement
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) plays a vital role in enforcing America’s firearm laws. But a combination of neglect and sabotage of ATF’s ability to carry out its duties has hobbled the agency and left Americans highly vulnerable to gun violence.
Congress has prevented ATF from creating a centralized database of millions of records of firearm sales that it is legally obligated to maintain--a vital investigative tool for law enforcement agencies around the country.
ATF is also prevented from effectively carrying out its mission of inspecting and regulating licensed firearm dealers around the country; underfunding and poor procedure resulted in less than 20% of licensed dealers being inspected during fiscal year 2018.
In Washington state, Governor Inslee signed bipartisan legislation to create a plan to centralize the state’s own background check system.
On a national level, Governor Inslee will take executive action and support legislation to modernize ATF’s data management systems and provide the resources necessary to conduct needed inspections.
10. Banning Untraceable Firearms
The Trump Administration has been bound and determined to help pro-gun activists open a new frontier in firearms manufacturing through the production of untraceable “ghost guns,” which can be manufactured without serial numbers and, in some cases, printed from plastic using 3-D printers.
The Administration is currently attempting to transition the regulation of exports of these types of weapons from the U.S. State Department, which maintains strict export control regulations, to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This follows the Trump State Department’s decision to agree to allow blueprints for such 3-D printed firearms to be freely distributed online, which would dramatically expand the ease of producing untraceable, undetectable firearms.
Governor Inslee signed legislation restricting the production and manufacture of these “ghost guns” in Washington state. As president, Jay Inslee would immediately end this dangerous and senseless action on the part of the Trump Administration. He would also support legislation codifying into federal law restrictions on exporting plans for these types of weapons, and ensuring America has the same strong standards on these weapons as Washington state does.
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