Edmonds repeals gun safety law after state high court ruling

EDMONDS, Wash. (AP) — The city council in the Seattle suburb of Edmonds on Tuesday formally repealed the city’s gun storage law and related laws after the state Supreme Court earlier this year ruled the gun safety measure was preempted by state law.

A court order required the city to repeal the law.

In a council committee meeting last week, City Attorney Jeff Taraday recommended City Council members also repeal the related ordinances defining proper locking devices and reporting of lost or stolen firearms, The Daily Herald reported.

The gun storage law, proposed by then-council president Mike Nelson, was adopted in July 2018. A few weeks later, three residents sued with the help of the National Rifle Association and the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation.

The lawsuit, Bass v. City of Edmonds, was ruled on by the Snohomish County Superior Court, the state Court of Appeals and the state Supreme Court.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, the city announced a partnership with Be SMART for Kids. The police department will conduct gun storage safety training for the community, Nelson said.

The city also received a state grant to provide 300 gun locks to Edmonds residents. Those are available at the Edmonds police station.