SB 502 : Exemption from private firearms background check for participants in Address Confidentiality Program

Position: Oppose Status: Senate Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation

Exempts transferee who is certified participant in Address Confidentiality Program from private firearm transfer criminal background check requirement.

Update

Jan 19, 2021: Referred to Senate Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation.
Jan 11, 2021: Introduced by chief sponsor Senator Kim Thatcher (R)

 

This bill is unnecessary and can set a bad precedent. According to the Address Confidentiality Program website, a substitute address is used to protect domestic violence victims. SB 502 stipulates an exemption from background checks which isn’t needed if a substitute address can be used. One may assume that Senator Thatcher wishes to better protect domestic violence victims. A solution is to add the background check system to the Address Confidentiality Program list.Would this bill set a precedent for exempting people from other forms of checks including checking history of driving records for those who wish to obtain a drivers license?Senator Thatcher has attempted to pass similar bills in 2017 (SB 546, SB 854, and HB 2974) all of which failed.