Washington state Senate approves open carry ban at Capitol, permitted rallies in party-line vote

Washington state senators voted along party lines Thursday to pass a bill that would ban the open carry of firearms and other weapons both at the Capitol building in Olympia and within 250 feet of a permitted demonstration anywhere in the state.

Democratic Sen. Patty Kuderer, the bill’s sponsor, said guns and politically-charged situations "is a bad combination and it poses serious risk to public health and safety." "What you need when you come to the Capitol is your voice. You don’t need a weapon," she said.