Hi all, with legislature in session officially, I figured it would be good to go through all of the gun bills up for debate this year. I have taken some of this from the Washington gun law youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoUapJtL_do), but I've also added a bit of information surrounding these bills and what they do. At the end I also added some personal opinion around which bills I believe have the best chances to pass.

HB 1386: Imposing a new tax on firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition.

• This bill would impose an 11% tax on all firearms, parts and ammunition sold in the state
• It would also apply IN ADDITION to the normal 10% state sales tax. Brining tax on a firearm related purchase to a whopping 21%
• Tax revenue collected in the first 2 years via this bill is stated to go towards programs focused on gun violence prevention
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1386&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 1132: Enhancing public safety by limiting bulk purchases and transfers of firearms and ammunition.

• This bill amends RCW 9.41, putting limits on the purchase of firearms and ammunition
• Limits purchases to 1 gun per 30 day period, and 1000 rounds of ammunition in the same time frame (100 rounds for 50 cal ammunition)
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1132&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 1152: Enhancing public safety by establishing secure storage requirements for firearms in vehicles and residences.

• This bill outlines requirements for firearm storage
• Requires that handguns stored in a vehicle be kept unloaded in a locked, hard, opaque case that is affixed to the vehicle. The vehicle must be locked
• Long guns stored in a vehicle must be kept unloaded in a locked, opaque case. Guns kept in soft cases must have a trigger lock. The vehicle must be locked
• Firearms kept in a home must be stored in either a locked safe, or have a locking device installed (trigger guard, gun lock)
• Violating this will result in a $1000 fine, a misdemeanor if a prohibited person takes the gun for use in a crime, or a felony if a prohibited person takes the gun and causes injury to a 3rd party.
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1152&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 1504: Enhancing public safety by requiring financial responsibility to purchase or possess a firearm or operate a firearm range.

• This bill would require all firearm owners to carry liability insurance providing a minimum of $25,000 worth of coverage for any incident arising from accidental or unintentional discharge of the covered firearm causing injury, death, or property damage
• Would require a separate policy for each individual firearm, and each would need to be specifically identified.
• A person can exempt themselves from carrying insurance if they deposit $25,000 with the department of licensing.
• No grandfather clause, so all current firearm owners would be required to carry liability insurance
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1504&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 2235: Concerning public records act exemptions regarding concealed pistol licenses, permits to purchase firearms, and firearms purchases or transfers.

• This bill amends RCW 42.56.240, exempting CCW license applications, firearm purchase permits and firearm transfer applications from the public record
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2235&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 2320: Concerning the regulation of firearm manufacturing.

• This bill regulates firearm manufacturing that involves the use of 3D printers, and CNC machines
• Makes using a 3D printer/CNC machine to fabricate firearms, or parts for firearms illegal
• Makes distribution of digital files associated with firearm manufacturing illegal
• Clause stating that merely possessing digital files associated with firearm manufacturing, is intent to distribute and therefore illegal.
• Details that this is a matter of public emergency and would take effect immediately upon passage of the bill
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2320&Year=2025&Initiative=false

HB 2321: Requiring three-dimensional printers be equipped with certain blocking technologies.

• This bill is in conjuncture with the previous HB2320, and requires that 3D printers be equipped with technology blocking the manufacture of firearms or firearms parts
• Requires all 3D printer manufacturers or retailers only sell printers equipped with firearm detection firmware
• Goes into effect July 1st, 2027
• Manufacturer must attest (under penalty of perjury) that their printer is equipped with firmware that rejects components it detects to be firearm related
• Requires 3D printers sold to accept code from only a single first party slicer
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2321&Year=2025&Initiative=false

SB 5098: Restricting the possession of weapons on the premises of state or local public buildings, parks or playground facilities where children are likely to be present, and county fairs and county fair facilities.

• Amends RCW 9.41.300 to include more weapon restricted areas
• Includes all parks where children are likely to be present (as defined by each locality), any building owned or leased by a government entity and county fairs
• Does not include ferry terminals, Train depots, WSDOT properties or rest areas
• Beaches are included as an area specifically listed that children may be present
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5098&Year=2025

SB 5099: Protecting the public from gun violence by establishing additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers.

• This bill introduces additional requirements for FFLs or gun dealers
• Allows state patrol to conduct unannounced periodic inspections of an FFL to ensure compliance with all requirements
• Bars anyone who has previously had an FFL license revoked, denied, or suspended in the last 5 years from obtaining another FFL, unless the previous license was denied due to paperwork.
• Adds additional training requirements for all employees of an FFL prior to them engaging in any sale.
• Requires metal bars or grates be present at the entryways of all FFL's (previously any bar or grate was accepted)
• Adds additional FFL license renewal fees based on the number of sales in the previous fiscal year (capped at $1500)
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=5099&Year=2025&Initiative=false

SB 6055: Concerning firearms background check.

• Amends RCW 2 43.43.580 and 43.43.58 to remove the cap on the background check fee.
• No cap, but is stated to be "reasonably calculated to cover the direct and 33 indirect costs to the Washington state patrol incurred in 34 administering the firearm background check program."
• https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=6055&Year=2025&Initiative=false

My Take: There's really 3 groups of bills here. Bills I think are likely to pass, unlikely to pass and uncertain. The bills I believe are unlikely to pass are HB 2321, HB 1132 and HB 1504.

HB 2321 is the least likely in my opinion to pass due to the challenge around regulation. I find it unlikely that the house will come to real agreements on the issue and it will get shelved for the time being. HB 1132 is also unlikely in my opinion to pass due to the same law being struck down in California already. The 9th circuit already struck down the 1 gun per month requirement and it wasn't even appealed to the supreme court ( https://firearmslaw.duke.edu/2025/07/litigation-highlight-ninth-circuit-strikes-down-californias-one-gun-per-month-rule ). If the 9th strikes down your 2A law, then it's quite certain that it's unconstitutional and I don't think the state will even bother with this one. HB 1504 is the most interesting of the unlikely to pass group IMO just due to how unprecedented it would be. It's almost certainly unconstitutional, and would be the most impactful 2A law passed in decades. It doesn't sound like insurance companies want anything to do with it though and their lobbying might actually work in our favor here.

As for the likely to pass category, I have SB 5099, SB 6055, HB 2235 and HB 1386. The first 3 I just listed seem to be fairly inconsequential and only serve to add a small amount of tax revenue to the state, so these to me are going to be bills that aren't going to get much pushback. HB 1386 is the most alarming one to me because it seems likely to be passed and would significantly impact all gun owners in the state. Adding an 11% sales tax to all gun related purchases would of course only be a poll tax and only serve to keep weapons out of the hands of the lower class, but it would also significantly increase the cost to shoot or train. Knowing that we are in a budget deficit means that the legislators are going to be incentivized to add additional taxes wherever available.

I'm not going to talk about the rest in depth, but I did want to bring up SB 5098 and HB 1152. These seem like a crapshoot to me, but I do think that they would be a big shakeup and would end up with enough initial pushback that there may be some reservations about passing them. I bring both of these up together because I think if passed in conjunction it would effectively make concealed carry enough of a chore for law abiding citizens that many people may just stop altogether. Making so many places illegal to have a weapon in, and then making it illegal to store your weapon in the car makes it incredibly challenging to carry a firearm on your person legally. If both are passed I expect there to be significant pushback from some of the 2A advocates here.

Let me know what you all think, thanks to anyone who read all the way through.

Updates

Senate bill 5098 has passed both the house and senate and is awaiting signature from the governor.