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More gun safety rules, part of I-1639, take effect

In this photo taken Oct. 2, 2018, semi-automatic rifles fill a wall at a gun shop in Lynnwood.
Elaine Thompson
/
The Associated Press
In this photo taken Oct. 2, 2018, semi-automatic rifles fill a wall at a gun shop in Lynnwood.

A new batch of gun safety laws go into effect today in Washington state. They're part of Initiative 1639, which was approved by voters last November.

The first batch of rules took effect in January, including one that makes it illegal for someone younger than 21 to buy a semiautomatic assault rifle. People under that age also aren't able to sell or give away those specific weapons.

This next phase of the initiative deals with enhanced background checks for semiautomatic rifles, as well as training for them. The new rules also deal with storage of firearms.

Registered firearms dealers are required to offer the purchaser of any firearm a secure gun storage device, a trigger lock or similar device. If they don't, they could be fined.

Cities and counties are preparing for the rollout of the new rules by urging gun owners to purchase gun safes. Leaders in King County also have been collecting information about gun violence trends to learn more about the age and race of shooting victims, along with educational campaigns about safe storage. Everett police have been giving away gun locks at a few of their precincts.

There is a lawsuit challenging the new provisions, but everything is set to go into effect unless a judge rules otherwise.  

Ariel first entered a public radio newsroom in 2004 while in school at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. It was love at first sight. After graduating from Bradley, she went on to earn a Master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Ariel has lived in Indiana, Ohio and Alaska reporting on everything from salmon spawning to policy issues concerning education. She's been a host, a manager and now rides shotgun with Kirsten Kendrick as the Morning Edition producer at KNKX.