2021 Revised Code of Washington
Title 9 - Crimes and Punishments
Chapter 9.41 - Firearms and Dangerous Weapons.
9.41.047 - Persons found not guilty by reason of insanity and others—Possession rights.
(1)(a) At the time a person is convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense making the person ineligible to possess a firearm, or at the time a person is committed by court order under RCW 71.05.240, * 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, or chapter 10.77 RCW for mental health treatment, or at the time that charges are dismissed based on incompetency to stand trial under RCW 10.77.088 and the court makes a finding that the person has a history of one or more violent acts, the convicting or committing court, or court that dismisses charges, shall notify the person, orally and in writing, that the person must immediately surrender any concealed pistol license and that the person may not possess a firearm unless his or her right to do so is restored by a court of record. For purposes of this section a convicting court includes a court in which a person has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
(b) The court shall forward within three judicial days after conviction, entry of the commitment order, or dismissal of charges, a copy of the person's driver's license or identicard, or comparable information such as their name, address, and date of birth, along with the date of conviction or commitment, or date charges are dismissed, to the department of licensing. When a person is committed by court order under RCW 71.05.240, * 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, or chapter 10.77 RCW, for mental health treatment, or when a person's charges are dismissed based on incompetency to stand trial under RCW 10.77.088 and the court makes a finding that the person has a history of one or more violent acts, the court also shall forward, within three judicial days after entry of the commitment order, or dismissal of charges, a copy of the person's driver's license, or comparable information, along with the date of commitment or date charges are dismissed, to the national instant criminal background check system index, denied persons file, created by the federal Brady handgun violence prevention act (P.L. 103-159). The petitioning party shall provide the court with the information required. If more than one commitment order is entered under one cause number, only one notification to the department of licensing and the national instant criminal background check system is required.
(2) Upon receipt of the information provided for by subsection (1) of this section, the department of licensing shall determine if the convicted or committed person, or the person whose charges are dismissed based on incompetency to stand trial, has a concealed pistol license. If the person does have a concealed pistol license, the department of licensing shall immediately notify the license-issuing authority which, upon receipt of such notification, shall immediately revoke the license.
(3)(a) A person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, by reason of having been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment under RCW 71.05.240, * 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, chapter 10.77 RCW, or equivalent statutes of another jurisdiction, or by reason of having been detained under RCW 71.05.150 or 71.05.153, or because the person's charges were dismissed based on incompetency to stand trial under RCW 10.77.088 and the court made a finding that the person has a history of one or more violent acts, may, upon discharge, petition the superior court to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored.
(b) The petition must be brought in the superior court that ordered the involuntary commitment or dismissed the charges based on incompetency to stand trial or the superior court of the county in which the petitioner resides.
(c) Except as provided in (d) and (e) of this subsection, the court shall restore the petitioner's right to possess a firearm if the petitioner proves by a preponderance of the evidence that:
(i) The petitioner is no longer required to participate in court-ordered inpatient or outpatient treatment;
(ii) The petitioner has successfully managed the condition related to the commitment or detention or incompetency;
(iii) The petitioner no longer presents a substantial danger to himself or herself, or the public; and
(iv) The symptoms related to the commitment or detention or incompetency are not reasonably likely to recur.
(d) If a preponderance of the evidence in the record supports a finding that the person petitioning the court has engaged in violence and that it is more likely than not that the person will engage in violence after his or her right to possess a firearm is restored, the person shall bear the burden of proving by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that he or she does not present a substantial danger to the safety of others.
(e) If the petitioner seeks restoration after having been detained under RCW 71.05.150 or 71.05.153, the state shall bear the burden of proof to show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the petitioner does not meet the restoration criteria in (c) of this subsection.
(f) When a person's right to possess a firearm has been restored under this subsection, the court shall forward, within three judicial days after entry of the restoration order, notification that the person's right to possess a firearm has been restored to the department of licensing with a copy of the person's driver's license or identicard, or comparable identification such as their name, address, and date of birth, the health care authority, and the national instant criminal background check system index, denied persons file. In the case of a person whose right to possess a firearm has been suspended for six months as provided in RCW 71.05.182, the department of licensing shall forward notification of the restoration order to the licensing authority, which, upon receipt of such notification, shall immediately lift the suspension, restoring the license.
(4) No person who has been found not guilty by reason of insanity may petition a court for restoration of the right to possess a firearm unless the person meets the requirements for the restoration of the right to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040(4).
[ 2020 c 302 § 60. Prior: 2019 c 248 § 3; 2019 c 247 § 3; 2018 c 201 § 6001; 2016 c 93 § 1; 2011 c 193 § 2; 2009 c 293 § 2; 2005 c 453 § 2; 1996 c 295 § 3; prior: 1994 sp.s. c 7 § 404.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note: RCW 71.05.320 was amended by 2020 c 302 §§ 45 and 46, changing the phrase "mental health treatment" to "behavioral health treatment."
Findings—Intent—Effective date—2018 c 201: See notes following RCW 41.05.018.
Severability—2005 c 453: See note following RCW 9.41.040.
Finding—Intent—Severability—1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.
Effective date—1994 sp.s. c 7 §§ 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010.
