Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee is developing an initiative to curb gun-related violence in Washington through executive order.
“We are finalizing our plan and hope to announce something soon,” confirmed Jaime Smith, Inslee’s director of communications.
She declined to discuss any details, saying only that the initiative “will be focused on executive action.”
If an announcement comes Tuesday, it would coincide with President Barack Obama’s move to strengthen federal gun control efforts through executive action.
Obama on Monday moved to ensure anyone who is “engaged in the business” of selling firearms is licensed and conducts background checks on their customers including for sales make online and at private shows. On Tuesday, he formally announced it.
The expanded background check rules Obama is seeking are already in force in Washington as a result of voter approval of Initiative 594 in 2014.
Obama also wants to hire more people to process background checks through the National Crime Information Center database more efficiently and to expand federal research into gun safety technology.
And he said he will ask Congress to provide money to hire 200 new ATF agents and investigators to enforce our gun laws and an additional $500 million to help states better address mental health issues.
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