Concealed pistol license holders may get reminder about expiration

OLYMPIA – Washington residents who hold a concealed pistol license may soon get a reminder when that license is about to expire.

On a unanimous vote, the House Appropriations Committee approved a Senate proposal that requires the state Department of Licensing to send out such a notice two months before the license expires. Supporters say those reminders are common for other licenses in the state, although the state Department of Licensing does not actually issue concealed pistol licenses, law enforcement agencies do.

But the department does keep a database of the concealed pistol licenses, and under an amendment approved by the committee, it would get $75,000 from an account that receives money from the license fees, to make system changes to set up the notifications.

The bill now goes to the full House. A similar bill that has passed the House awaits a vote in the full Senate.