Report: Washington state’s background check system needs fix

SEATTLE — Washington state’s system for conducting background checks on someone trying to buy a firearm is fragmented and “specific improvements” are needed.
   
That’s according to a report released by Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
   
The Attorney General’s Office conducted an access-to-firearms study in response to an executive order that Gov. Jay Inslee issued earlier this year.
   
The report says current system relies on 260 local law enforcement agencies to conduct background checks when someone wants to buy a handgun or get a concealed pistol license. People buying rifles and shotguns are checked through a federal database.
   
Ferguson says the state system for handgun purchases is complex and inconsistent and should be streamlined. He says the state needs to ensure that resources are available for timely and complete input of data.