WA Dems Ram Through Background Check Fee Hike, Sheriff Silencing Bills

March 16, 2026
11:50 am

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Washington Democrats just shoved through a pair of insidious gun control bills that should have every 2A supporter's alarm bells ringing: a hefty hike in background check fees and a muzzle on sheriffs who dare to speak out against overreach. The fee increase—jumping from a nominal cost to what critics rightly dub a poll tax—slaps law-abiding gun owners with an extra financial barrier to exercising their rights, potentially pricing out working-class folks from buying firearms or ammo. This isn't just bureaucratic bloat; it's a deliberate revenue grab dressed as safety, echoing the very poll taxes the state constitution explicitly bans under Article I, Section 19, which prohibits fees that burden fundamental rights. Expect lawsuits to swarm like bees on honey, as this scheme crumbles under judicial scrutiny—much like Colorado's failed transfer fee experiment that got smacked down for similar reasons. Even more galling is the sheriff-silencing bill, which strips elected law enforcement leaders of their voice on Second Amendment issues. Washington's sheriffs, many of whom have publicly declared they won't enforce unconstitutional mandates (shoutout to counties like Spokane and Yakima), are now gagged from testifying or lobbying against these measures. This is straight-up authoritarianism: Democrats can't win the argument, so they rig the game by muting opposition from the front lines. It's a page ripped from California's playbook, where similar efforts failed but keep resurfacing like whack-a-mole. The good news? Other draconian proposals—like assault weapon bans and red flag expansions—flatlined in the session, a testament to the grassroots pushback from groups like the Second Amendment Foundation and NRA-ILA. For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call: WA Dems are testing how far they can push before the courts or voters slap back. Stock up now, support sheriff alliances like the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, and flood your state reps with calls—midterms are looming, and flipping seats could torch this nonsense. These bills aren't about safety; they're about control, and we're not rolling over. Stay vigilant, patriots—our rights hang by a thread, but threads can be steel when we pull together.

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Washington Democrats just shoved through a pair of insidious gun control bills that should have every 2A supporter’s alarm bells ringing: a hefty hike in background check fees and a muzzle on sheriffs who dare to speak out against overreach. The fee increase—jumping from a nominal cost to what critics rightly dub a poll tax—slaps law-abiding gun owners with an extra financial barrier to exercising their rights, potentially pricing out working-class folks from buying firearms or ammo. This isn’t just bureaucratic bloat; it’s a deliberate revenue grab dressed as safety, echoing the very poll taxes the state constitution explicitly bans under Article I, Section 19, which prohibits fees that burden fundamental rights. Expect lawsuits to swarm like bees on honey, as this scheme crumbles under judicial scrutiny—much like Colorado’s failed transfer fee experiment that got smacked down for similar reasons.

Even more galling is the sheriff-silencing bill, which strips elected law enforcement leaders of their voice on Second Amendment issues. Washington’s sheriffs, many of whom have publicly declared they won’t enforce unconstitutional mandates (shoutout to counties like Spokane and Yakima), are now gagged from testifying or lobbying against these measures. This is straight-up authoritarianism: Democrats can’t win the argument, so they rig the game by muting opposition from the front lines. It’s a page ripped from California’s playbook, where similar efforts failed but keep resurfacing like whack-a-mole. The good news? Other draconian proposals—like assault weapon bans and red flag expansions—flatlined in the session, a testament to the grassroots pushback from groups like the Second Amendment Foundation and NRA-ILA.

For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call: WA Dems are testing how far they can push before the courts or voters slap back. Stock up now, support sheriff alliances like the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, and flood your state reps with calls—midterms are looming, and flipping seats could torch this nonsense. These bills aren’t about safety; they’re about control, and we’re not rolling over. Stay vigilant, patriots—our rights hang by a thread, but threads can be steel when we pull together.

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