Committee adopts amendments to firearms permit bill, exempts some licensed security and PI training

Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1163, a comprehensive firearms measure, was debated and amended March 27 in the Law & Justice Committee. Staff described the bill as establishing a permit-to-purchase framework, setting application and revocation standards for permits, specifying firearm-safety training requirements, clarifying revocation and writ-of-mandamus procedures, and creating reporting and recordkeeping duties for firearm transfers.

Amendments adopted

- Amendment Delta (striking amendment) corrected references to writs of mandamus and adjusted statutory citations for administrative review of permit and CPL denials.

- Amendment Delta‑1 (offered by Senator Fortunato) exempts licensed armed private investigators from the bill’s firearms-safety training requirement on the grounds that criminal-justice-training-commission‑issued private‑investigator firearm certificate requirements mirror the bill’s training standards.

- Amendment Delta‑2 (also offered by Senator Fortunato) extends the same exemption to licensed armed security guards.

Committee discussion and concerns

Committee members questioned whether private investigator and security‑guard training is fully consistent with the proposed statutory training standard; sponsors and Senator Fortunato said the Criminal Justice Training Commission’s materials indicate comparable training (citing RCW 18.165 and WAC 139‑35). Chair Dhingra and other senators said they would seek “perfecting” language on the floor to harmonize training definitions and ensure equivalency before final passage.

Constitutional and access concerns

Some members voiced constitutional concerns and equity impacts. Senator Hooley (recorded as a dissenting senator) said the permit and training costs could disproportionately affect low- and middle-income residents and predicted legal challenges under state constitutional claims. Senator Wagner and others noted the agency primarily charged with implementation (Washington State Patrol / specified agency) was absent from the hearing and urged fiscal and operational scrutiny.

Outcome

The committee rolled the adopted amendments into a new striking amendment and recommended the bill receive a due pass recommendation to the Ways & Means Committee, subject to signatures. Sponsors committed to refining training‑equivalency language on the floor; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Provenance

Staff introduced the bill; discussion begins with the bill presentation and continues through the amendment adoption and final due‑pass motion.