Nickels seeks 'clarity' on gun bans

October 16, 12:48 PMWashington Law ExaminerMichael Reitz

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Washington Law Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels says he hopes for "further clarity" on whether he has authority to regulate gun possession. This statement came in response to the Attorney General's official opinion that Washington cities are not permitted to ban guns on city-owned property.

"We have a moral responsibility to pursue common-sense gun laws," said Nickels. "We cannot wait for another incident, or another victim." 

I'm not sure where the Mayor expects to get this clarification. Earlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the constitution protects the individual right to own and carry guns. Washington state law explicitly prohibits cities from adopting gun restrictions that are stricter than state law. And now the Office of the Attorney General has provided an 11-page memo detailing the problems with Nickels' proposed gun ban. Is further clarity necessary?