---
type: "Bill"
title: "Preventing suicide by permitting the voluntary waiver of firearm rights."
description: "Preventing suicide by permitting the voluntary waiver of firearm rights."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "SB 5553"
citation: "Washington SB 5553 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["FIREARMS", "MENTAL HEALTH"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Pedersen"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 33
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2017-01-27"
last_action: "2018-03-21"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/91432bd4-0318-4f83-bfc0-fb459ac771a5"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5553&year=2017"
source_hash: "f07131068eeb78ebb27de451d1c7ada1077aded697640f41517f725e168a665e"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wa"]
---

# Washington SB 5553 (2017-2018) — Preventing suicide by permitting the voluntary waiver of firearm rights.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5553.htm)
2. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5553-S.htm)

## Votes

- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#12) — **49–0** (pass) · upper
- Final Passage as Amended by the House (#15) — **36–13** (pass) · upper
- Final Passage as Amended by the House (#1) — **77–20** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Pedersen — primary (person)
- Darneille — cosponsor (person)
- Fain — cosponsor (person)
- Frockt — cosponsor (person)
- Hobbs — cosponsor (person)
- Kuderer — cosponsor (person)
- Takko — cosponsor (person)
- Zeiger — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-01-27** First reading, referred to Law & Justice. `reading-1`
- **2017-04-24** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-05-23** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2017-06-21** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2018-01-08** By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- **2018-01-11** LAW - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-11** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2018-01-12** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2018-01-18** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2018-01-24** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-01-11** LAW - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-11** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2018-01-12** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2018-01-18** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2018-01-24** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-01-24** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-01-24** Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2018-01-26** First reading, referred to Judiciary (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report). `reading-1`
- **2018-02-15** JUDI - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
- **2018-02-15** Minority; do not pass.
- **2018-02-20** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2018-02-21** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-23** Committee recommendations adopted and the bill amended.
- **2018-02-23** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-02-23** Third reading, passed; yeas, 77; nays, 20; absent, 0; excused, 1. `reading-3`
- **2018-03-05** Senate concurred in House amendments.
- **2018-03-05** Passed final passage; yeas, 36; nays, 13; absent, 0; excused, 0. `passage`
- **2018-03-07** President signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-08** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-09** Delivered to Governor.
- **2018-03-21** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2018-03-21** Chapter 145, 2018 Laws. `became-law`
- **2018-03-21** Effective date 6/7/2018*. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/91432bd4-0318-4f83-bfc0-fb459ac771a5`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).