Gov. Inslee signs gun background check notification bill

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill that requires the notification of law enforcement and of people with protection orders if someone fails a background check after trying to buy a gun.

The measure signed Wednesday requires gun dealers to notify the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs within five days of a denial. The Washington State Patrol must then incorporate that information into its electronic database, accessible to the state's law enforcement agencies.

The new law allows WASPC to establish a grant program that would allow local law enforcement to conduct investigations into people who illegally tried to get a firearm. Background checks screen buyers to make sure they aren't a felon, a fugitive, or in the country illegally, among other disqualifiers.

The measure also requires the creation of a statewide notification system related to those with court orders.