BAD BAIT
What: HB 1012 and SB 5120 will undo I-655, passed in 1996, which criminalized bear baiting and hunting large animals with hound dogs.
Who: Sen. Jim Hargrove (R-Hoquiam) and Rep. Bob Sump (R-Republic)
Chances: Surprisingly good. Republicans are falsely advertising this as a bill to minimize contact between humans and wild carnivores. Expect parents of children who've been mauled to bring everyone to tears at hearings.
We say: The bear-baiting provision is silly: It allows property owners to set out bait in their own yards to attract bears, a practice that couldn't possibly minimize contact between man and beast. There's no excuse for the Legislature to overturn an initiative passed by the people—especially since they won't do the same to Initiative 601, which is widely acknowledged to be depriving our public programs of much-needed funds.
TAMING THE HUNTER
What: HB 1057 would make it illegal to set leghold traps for coyotes and other animals, and a crime to set any trap on someone else's property without the landowner's permission.
Who: Rep. Sandra Romero (D-Olympia)
Chances: Unknown
We say: Legholds, which break animals' limbs so that they can die slowly and in pain, should have been outlawed ages ago. And there's no excuse for leaving these or any traps lying around on some unwitting stranger's land. If you must get your jollies killing wildlife, please use a little discretion.
SON-OF-A-GUN CONTROL
What: SB 5294 and HB 1424 would make it a gross misdemeanor to store loaded guns where kids under 16 can get them.
Who: Sen. Jeri Costa (D-Everett) and Rep. Ida Baillasiotes (R-Mercer Island)
Chances: Good. The bill is named after a young accidental shooting victim named Whitney Graves. Right-wing extremists didn't even let past "Whitney Graves bills" get hearings. The Legislature will likely take this opportunity to atone for those failures.
We say: This bill would obviously be more effective if it covered children under 18, not 16, and if it applied to unloaded guns as well as loaded ones. Kids, especially in the 16- to 17-year-old group, can figure out what to do with ammunition. But even as written, this bill will finally send the mes- sage that, like knives and Drano, a gun is something one keeps out of kids' reach.
PISTOL-PACKING RIGHTS
What: HB 1196 would require the state to recognize some other states' concealed pistol licenses.
Who: A whole slew of people, chief among them Rep. Tom Mielke (R-Woodland)
Chances: Lawmakers are likely to support this bill to appease the National Rifle Association, which is miffed about HB 1424 (see above).
We say: We don't like sharing public space with concealed pistols, though apparently some people think it's a great idea. This bill is especially problematic because some states don't keep good records on whose licenses they've revoked. Moreover, the Licensing Dept. would have to decide which permits we could honor, excluding those from states that wouldn't honor ours or that wouldn't go through background checks. They would have to create a new taxpayer-funded administrative arm to cover the paperwork this law would create.
DUALLY HONORED
What: HB 1160 would make it easier for police to enforce restraining orders imposed in other states.
Who: Rep. Larry Sheahan (R-Spokane)
Chances: Unknown
We say: For most people, a protection order is the light at the end of one hellish tunnel, which they shouldn't have to revisit every time they cross state lines.
Tell Olympia what you think. The legislative hotline number is 800-562-6000.
