In the state of Washington, concealed carry permit holders enjoy anonymity, but that may soon change. Under the current Washington’s Public Records Act concealed carry licensing laws, the licensee’s name and application information is protected from public disclosure except as required by law enforcement or corrections officials.
Washington has similar initiatives for the protection of personal information from public disclosure of participants who have information in the government database for other programs such as public utilities, public transit, and library patronage.
Private Information Could be Made Public after Legal Review
The Washington State Attorney General Bob Fergusen is performing a review of the information protection of Washington’s concealed carry license holders currently protected under the State Public Records Act.
The question is, why would previously safeguarded information need to be released to the public after previous laws have allowed other private information be concealed?
There appears to be no reason that this type of personal information would need to be released to the public since the proper authorities in all states are already allowed access.
Why Should Concealed Carry Information Stay Protected?
First off, when you apply for a concealed carry permit application in a state, you expect to be subject to the current laws regarding state privacy. Since this information was not allowed to be disclosed many citizens may have felt safe providing this information necessary to apply for the permit. So what you thought would be privately filed could all of a sudden become public domain for everyone.
One of the issues that is even more concerning is the fact that most current and former law enforcement officers, private investigators, judges, and undercover officers have concealed weapons permits and often hide their private address information to protect themselves and their families.
Additionally, you have the risk to those who are looking to protect themselves, such as those who have been a victim of domestic violence, from having their private address information made public and giving access to their would-be attackers.
Making CCL information part of the public domain is not only violating privacy rights of law-abiding citizens who want to protect themselves but is also dangerous to those who need their private information protected.
What about Other States?
Currently, many states allow for at least some level of confidentiality in the application and license process of those who wish to obtain a concealed carry permit. The state regulations regarding information privacy is indicated to citizens before they begin their application process.
The legal review being sought by the Attorney General of Washington comes as a shock to many since even states with strict gun control policies including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii protect their concealed carry licensee’s information from being publicly disclosed.
Senate Bill S-2954.1
The Senate Law and Justice Committee has recently proposed Senate Bill S-2954.1 that would further extend the existing statues to ensure that gun owner’s concealed carry license, as well as other application documents, can remain protected even if the review deems they should be made public record.
The NRA is throwing its support behind the bill which will be heard during the 2018 Legislative Session and hopes that with its passing the privacy of law-abiding citizens who wish to exercise their right to concealed carry will be able to retain their privacy no matter what.
Is this an Attempt to Limit the Number of Permit Carriers?
Could this be an attempt to limit the number of people obtaining licenses? If law-abiding firearm owners do not wish for their identity or application information to be disclosed for safety or other reasons, they may think twice before obtaining a permit for fear of their information getting into the hands of the wrong person.
The bigger concern may be what will happen to all those permit holders who may lose their anonymity overnight?
If the Attorney General decides that this private information should be subject to public disclosure, who knows what the next step will be against second amendment rights for the law-abiding citizens of Washington.
~ American Gun News
I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. WE HAD THE CCP LAW AND THEN KAMAL HARRIS VETOED IT IN THE 9TH CIRCUIT COURT.THEN GOV BROWN SIGNED A LAW THAT ONLY GOOD CAUSE, OR LEOS GET CONCEELED CARRY. THIS AFTER I PAYED FOR MY BACK GROUND CHECK AND TOOK A $150.00 COURSE THAT IS REQUIERD. I ALSO AM A CERIFIED FIRERAMS INSTRUCTOR AND HAD AN OPEN CARRY LICSEN.
Maybe they will allow police and other gov. Officials to hide their identities…… THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO A POLICESTATE
Just goes to show what inroads have been made by the anti gun lobbies over the years. I obtained the my first “carry permit”, in the state of Washington, back in the `70’s. I filled out a little three by five card, they took a thumbprint. A week or so later the Sheriff called me and said to come down and pick up my permit. In fact he even helped me pick out a shoulder holster from a catalogue he had in his office How times have changed. Democrats had their way, no one would have guns, except them and their armed guards.
All licensing information should be confidential. Especially the information on who has a gun permit! First of all it endangers law enforcement, judges and other related public servants. Even Senators and congressmen would be at risk. The of course it violates our Constitutional rights to “keep and bear arms” but that is the liberal agenda these days. How about we publish the names and personal addresses of all the so called “lawmakers”, especially if they vote for this particular “law”? How would they feel about that? Every other industry is bound by the right to privacy. The Federal government has HIPPA regulations that protect the privacy of patients in a hospital or doctor’s office. There is NO president to allow this sort of invasion of private information. Even the most restrictive states, like California do not allow these records to be made public.
AG Bob Fergusen is a fool !! Making a CPL holders private information public will cause more crime in the way of more break ins where the criminal breaks into a home of a CPL holder looking for fire arms and either steals the gun or is shot by the home owner. If a criminal is shot by a home owner The AG. Should face criminal charges of aiding in the commission of a crime because the criminal would have not targeted the home if the CPL holders information had been kept private.!!
with washington that doesn’t surprise me at all. their citizens should file a lawsuit against washington ” NOW “
I think the legislature people should be kicked in the ass for even THINKING of such open records.
If this information loses it’s protection, the citizens of Washington State should file a violation of privacy lawsuit against the Attorney General for exposing the CC holders to the very hazards the state fails to protect the holders from. After all, why did CC holders apply for a permit in the first place? Because the state has failed to protect them!
Publication of CCL holders personal information would provide a list of everyone who possesses a firearm and make them a target for thieves looking for guns. This is another idea that hasn’t been properly thought through.
If they want to let everyone in the country know who has a gun permit and where they live then we should make sure the whole country knows where they live and their phone number, it used to be that they were listed but now they try to hide everything about themselves so they don’t fear repercussions when they SCREW all of us Americans out of our freedoms, and rights that they keep taking away all to fit their needs and wants, and not what the people want Trump may not be the answer but it’s a good start, time to stop electing carrier politicians and elect real people, the people that live where we do, shop where we do and have the same cares and feelings that we do, not some liar that was born with a silver spoon in their ass……