“Earlier today I heard President Obama say it was a ‘pretty shameful day in Washington’ D.C. because of the failure of the Senate to pass common sense gun safety legislation. I was hoping that here in the other Washington we could do better. But by day’s end it is clear that our state Senate let yet another deadline pass without taking a vote on common sense gun safety legislation.
“Washingtonians would be right to be bitterly disappointed. The lack of a vote on a bill that would keep guns from perpetrators of domestic violence comes on top of the Legislature’s failure to allow a vote on a bill that would help keep guns out of the hands of felons. Neither the House nor Senate has taken a vote on the bill to require background checks, and yet no one has offered a good reason why that bill should not become law in the state of Washington.
“But we should not and will not quit. I will keep pushing lawmakers in both houses and in both parties to bring this legislation up for a vote and take a step toward reducing gun violence in our state.
“The Senate also failed today yet again to take a vote on the Reproductive Parity Act which would protect women’s right to privacy in our state and the Dream Act which would help all Washington students get a college education.”