Associated Press
EPHRATA — Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones says he will not enforce a gun control initiative that passed last November until it clears federal court hurdles.
Jones on Monday joined a growing list of Washington sheriffs who oppose Initiative 1639.
Jones says if the initiative eventually is ruled in federal court to be constitutional, he will work with the county prosecutor on the best way to move forward.
Initiative 1639 raises the age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, calls for enhanced background checks, and requires buyers to complete a firearm safety course, among other provisions.
Sheriffs in Klickitat, Lewis, Stevens and other counties have said they will not enforce the initiative. But Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich has refused to follow what he calls the “grandstanding” sheriffs.
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