This bill creates new financial responsibility requirements for firearm purchasers and owners and adds related procedures and penalties. It adds a new section to chapter 9.41 RCW requiring each person who purchases or possesses a firearm in Washington to carry, for each distinct firearm, either a firearm liability insurance policy or surety bond (issued by an insurer or surety authorized in Washington) providing at least $25,000 per-incident coverage for accidental or unintentional discharge that causes injury, death, or property damage; a qualifying certificate of deposit of $25,000 in cash or eligible securities deposited with the Department of Licensing; or a certificate of self-insurance (available only to persons with more than 25 firearms on discretionary approval by the Department of Licensing). Policies, bonds, and certificates must identify the specific firearm covered and insurers must provide identification cards; a person who fails to display proof of financial responsibility to a dealer during purchase or to a law enforcement officer while possessing a firearm commits a class 1 civil infraction, and knowingly providing false evidence of financial responsibility is a misdemeanor. The bill establishes detailed procedures for certificates of deposit—requiring a sworn declaration, Department of Licensing issuance of certificates within 30 days, recordkeeping, a process for claimants with final judgments to seek payment from deposited funds (with a 30-day notice period before payment unless a court orders withholding), and rules for return or replacement of deposits. It creates a firearm financial responsibility account in the custody of the State Treasurer for deposited funds, requires quarterly payment of interest/income on deposits to the Department of Commerce to fund the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention, and authorizes the Department of Licensing to adopt rules and to cancel self-insurance certificates after notice and hearing (including for failure to pay a final judgment within 30 days). The bill also amends RCW 9.41.090 to add pre-delivery requirements for dealers: proof of completion of a recognized firearm safety training program within the last five years (or proof of exemption), proof of compliance with or exemption from the new financial responsibility requirement, a Washington State Patrol background check indicating eligibility, and satisfaction of existing RCW 9.41.092 requirements and time periods. Dealers must collect purchaser application information, provide specified cautions and a Department of Fish and Wildlife pamphlet, transmit applications via SAFE by the end of the business day, retain original applications for six years, and withhold delivery until requirements are satisfied. The Washington State Patrol’s background check program must check the national NICS system and several state databases listed in the bill. The act also adds a new section requiring privately owned, for-profit firearm ranges open to the public to carry general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per incident (compliance constituting financial responsibility) and makes violation a misdemeanor. The act reenacts and amends RCW 43.84.092 to establish a treasury income account and specifies monthly distribution rules for earnings to many named state accounts, with the firearm financial responsibility account included. The bill text available in these extracts is incomplete in places: provisions identified as section 3 and the full contents of sections 4 and 5 are not included here, the full list of accounts in the amended RCW 43.84.092 is truncated, and some definitions (for example, a full statutory definition of "antique firearms") and specific effective dates for every section are not fully shown. The act specifies different effective dates for some sections in the portions provided: except for section 5 the act takes effect January 1, 2027; section 4 expires July 1, 2028; section 5 takes effect July 1, 2028.

If enacted, most people who buy or possess firearms in Washington will need to show per‑firearm proof of financial responsibility — either a separate liability policy or bond that names the firearm and provides at least $25,000 per incident, a $25,000 cash or eligible securities deposit held by the Department of Licensing, or a discretionary DOL self‑insurance certificate for people with more than 25 firearms. That will raise direct costs and paperwork for purchasers (insurance premiums or large deposits) and add administrative work and legal exposure for dealers and law enforcement who must check and retain proof; failing to show proof is a civil infraction and knowingly presenting false proof is a misdemeanor. The Department of Licensing must issue and manage certificates and deposits, hold deposited funds in a new firearm financial responsibility account, and pay interest quarterly to the Department of Commerce to fund the Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention, creating a new recurring funding flow and ongoing record‑keeping and payment duties for state agencies. Commercial firearm ranges open to the public will now need at least $1,000,000 of general liability coverage per incident, which increases operating costs and makes compliance a condition of avoiding criminal liability (misdemeanor for violation). Dealers must also collect proof of recent firearm safety training, transmit purchase applications to Washington State Patrol the same day, and keep originals for six years, increasing their compliance workload; the state treasurer will include the firearm financial responsibility account in monthly earnings distributions. Important details are missing from the provided text — several cited sections are incomplete, definitions like “antique firearm” aren’t shown, and the full content and timing of some sections (including parts referenced as sections 3–5) are not included, so the precise start dates and some implementation mechanics cannot be confirmed from these excerpts.