What happens if two bills cancel each other out? Washington state may be about to find out.
Two opposing gun law measures are on the ballot this week, and there’s a possibility they both could pass.
One measure, Initiative 594, would strengthen background check requirements so that anyone purchasing a gun would need a background check. The only exceptions are for antiques and gun transfers among family members.
According to the latest polling, 64 percent of voters support this initiative.
Meanwhile, the second measure, Initiative 591, would preclude the state from implementing background check laws harsher than those used by the federal government—in other words, it would outlaw the first initiative. So far this measure could also narrowly pass, with 45 to 43 percent approval.
The Washington Post surmises that, should both ballots pass, the state Supreme Court would need to settle the matter.
Activists on both sides have spent millions of dollars promoting the two pieces of legislation, including, the New York Times reported, Bill Gates and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The two bills have also divided activists’ attention; The National Rifle Association has chosen, for example, to concentrate on taking down Initiative 594, rather than promoting Imitative 591.
