The Evergreen State issued Washingtonians a warning that due to an inability to agree on a state budget, services supporting firearms sales, training and licensing could be suspended as of July 1, 2017.

“If the Legislature does not approve budgets by June 30, several state agencies will go through full or partial operations shutdowns,” the notification states.

Firearms dealers and gun owners have reason to be wary of the legislative impasse. Washington already has some of the most restrictive laws relating to gun sales and transfers.  Governor Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) previously used log-jammed legislation to issue an executive order to tighten the state’s firearms background checks, collect data on firearms-related death and injuries and for state agencies to create reduction strategies for what he called “a public-health response to a public-health crisis.”

If the Washington State Legislature fails to come to an agreement on the state budget by midnight on June 30, state agencies regulating firearms dealer licensing services will go dark or be reduced.

We will continue to keep you posted on this story.