(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

Gun control initiative widely opposed in Stevens County but passes statewide…

A Washington state initiative has passed with 60 percent of the vote statewide that will make sweeping changes to gun laws. Initiative 1639 requires increased background checks, training, age limitations, and waiting periods for sales or delivery of semiautomatic assault rifles; criminalize non compliant storage upon unauthorized use; allow fees; and enact other provisions.

The initiative got 1,181,218 yes votes on election night, while 775,902 votes against. CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS.

The initiative expands background  checks in Washington, raises the age for purchasing semi-automatic rifles to 21, require firearm training and criminalizes people who don’t properly store firearms if said firearms are used in a crime by someone else. 

Opponents of I-1639 had argued the measure goes beyond the scope of just assault weapons and will “target all semiautomatic rifles, including hunting rifles and target shooting rifles.”

They raised the concern that I-1639 will restrict access to firearms used in lawful self-defense and does not address security in schools.

Proponents of the measure cite the initiative would raise the standard for purchasing semiautomatic assault rifles to the same as purchasing handguns, and they state that this “will not affect law-abiding, responsible gun owners, rather, it will establish common sense safeguards to help prevent dangerous, unlawful access to firearms.”

Stevens County voted against the measure with 72 percent voting no and just 27 percent voting yes.