Open-carry of weapons now illegal at state Capitol, rallies
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill Wednesday that outlaws the “open carry” of guns and other weapons inside the state Capitol and on its grounds, and near public demonstrations for which participants have a permit.
The prohibition, long sought by Democrats and gun control activists, gained political steam after January’s deadly insurrection in Washington, D.C., and, the same day, a protest at the Capitol in Olympia at which some armed participants trespassed on the lawn of the executive mansion.
“This is a common-sense approach that extends our existing prohibition to open carry firearms in limited situations to ensure an individual can’t use a weapon to intimidate other citizens,” Inslee said upon signing Senate Bill 5038.
Because the legislation contains an emergency clause, the law took effect immediately instead of the usual 90 days after the end of a legislative session. That means opponents cannot pursue a referendum to try to overturn the statute.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/open-carry-of-weapons-now-illegal-at-state-capitol-rallies/
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