Island, and
Whatcom Counties
If enacted, Washington House Bill 1026 will make restoring your firearm rights after a conviction very difficult. This bill was introduced in January of 2021 and is in the Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee. Below are some changes that will go into effect if the bill is passed:
If you have been convicted of Class B Felony, the new law will require ten consecutive years without a conviction of any class of crime immediately preceding petitioning to restore firearm rights. The current law only requires five consecutive years without a conviction.
The new law will also require five years without a protection order filed against you to petition to restore your firearm rights. This includes all orders filed against you, whether a judge grants the protection order or not.
In addition to other criteria, the new bill requires the petitioner to show rehabilitation if a firearm was used in the previous conviction, but it does not define rehabilitation. This language will leave the petition up to the judge’s discretion.
Click here to follow House Bill 1026’s journey through the Capitol.
Petition to restore your firearm rights before this new law passes. Call our office at 360-419-0809 today to schedule your consultation and mention this blog post for 10% off your fee.