EDMONDS — The city will be getting help in its fight with the NRA on the legality of a new ordinance requiring gun owners to keep their firearms locked up and inaccessible to others.
Everytown for Gun Safety, a national gun violence prevention organization founded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, will provide pro bono legal services to Edmonds, which has been sued by gun owners and the NRA.
“We’re very pleased to have the support and assistance that they can offer,” Mayor Dave Earling said Friday. “They specialize in this work and take it on as a cause.”
Under retainer agreements approved Sept. 11 by the City Council, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Group and the Summit Law Group of Seattle will work on the case, in conjunction with City Attorney Jeff Taraday. Both organizations approached the city and offered their services, according to documents provided to the City Council.
The City Council passed the law July 24. It took effect in August, but enforcement will not begin until January. It is largely identical to the safe-storage gun law enacted in Seattle on July 18 that is also challenged by the NRA.
The Edmonds law requires firearms be safely secured and “rendered unusable” to anyone other than the owner or those they’ve authorized to use it. It does not apply to firearms carried by or under the control of owners. It does apply to weapons kept at home and in vehicles.
If anyone not permitted to use the gun, such as a child or a thief, gets access to the weapon, the gun owner could be held civilly liable and fined up to $1,000. If an unauthorized person uses the firearm to commit a crime or injure themselves or others, the gun owner could be fined as well.
Any fines collected by Edmonds will be used to buy lock boxes to give to residents.
On Aug. 7, two residents, the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation of Bellevue sued to overturn the law.
In their lawsuit, they accuse the city of violating a state law intended to pre-empt local governments from enacting their own regulations related to the possession of firearms. Opponents are seeking an injunction preventing the start of enforcement.
Everytown is also assisting the city of Seattle in defending its safe storage law.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.
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