Everytown Law Defends City of Edmonds, Washington, Against a NRA-Backed Challenge to a Responsible Gun Storage Ordinance
Bass, et al. v. City of Edmonds, et al.
Edmonds, WA – Following the City of Edmonds’ passage of an ordinance requiring responsible gun storage, the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation, along with two individuals, sued the City, seeking a declaratory judgment that the ordinance is invalid. Everytown Law agreed to represent the City on a pro bono basis, along with the Summit Law Group. The City moved to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the plaintiffs do not have standing and the dispute is not yet ripe.
On October 18, 2019, the Snohomish County Superior Court granted in part and denied in part the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment–holding that the plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the unauthorized access prevention portion of the local ordinance, but also holding that the responsible storage portion of the ordinance was preempted by state law.
Both parties appealed the Trial Court’s ruling. The Court of Appeals – Division One held that the plaintiffs had standing to challenge the Edmonds ordinance and that the Edmonds ordinance was preempted by state law.
The City of Edmonds filed a petition for discretionary review. On September 3, 2021, the Supreme Court of Washington granted that petition.
On April 21, 2022, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the individual plaintiffs had standing to challenge the Edmonds ordinance and that the Edmonds ordinance was preempted by state law.
