The Chair of the Kings County Council in Washington state has a gun control proposal he's pushing for. The proposal takes a three-pronged approach to dealing with "gun violence" in the area but one of the proposals is new.
Joe McDermott (D), the Council Chair, wants to make it mandatory for gun stores and ranges to have safety warning signs outside of their facilities. He detailed his vision in an OpEd in the Seattle Times:
First, I propose that public safety warning signs be posted at any place of firearm sale or discharge in King County, which will articulate the very real and significant risks to health and life inherent with firearm ownership. These signs will also provide immediate contact information for suicide-prevention and mental-health resources for individuals who might be in crisis. Once passed by the Board of Health, signs will be placed at the entrances and purchase counters of every shooting range and store selling guns in King County.
In addition to the warning signs, McDermott wants to require "firearm owners to securely store their guns at all times — whether at home, in a car or anywhere else" and the county to destroy all guns that are forfeited during buyback programs. The third part of his proposal includes using evidence-based strategies for fighting gun violence.
McDermott's proposal also has a clause in there detailing what would happen if Washington's preemption law is repealed:
If the state preemption law is repealed, the King County Gun Safety Action Plan will immediately:
- Ban semi-automatic, high velocity weapons: Ban the sale and possession of semi-automatic, high velocity weapons
- Ban high capacity ammunition magazines: Ban the sale and possession of high capacity ammunition magazines
- Raise the minimum age to 21: For all firearm purchases and possession laws
- Impose a waiting period: Establish a waiting period before taking possession of a firearm after purchase
- Require safety training: Require firearm safety training before taking possession of a firearm after purchase
Will McDermott come out victorious?
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