Yay! New Laws!

I was reading an article this morning in the Tacoma Tribune about some new laws that went into effect this week...220 of them in fact...which sounds like a lot, until you realize that the article was only talking about Washington State, in which case 220 new laws is a Metric BUTT TON of new laws.

Is that a normal number? 

So...what did we get with our 220 new laws here in Washington? 

Well, the Legislature is happiest about beefing up the anti-human trafficking laws, which I thought would already be covered under 'kidnapping', but, hey...more laws will keep us safer, right?  Most of these new laws relate specifically to the 'sexual' side of human trafficking, and let them treat those folks the way they have treated gun owners for decades, confiscating property used in the course of human trafficking.

I'm for that, I guess.  I mean...I'm a deviant normal male libertarian.  I'm okay with legalizing prostitution for non-minors.  I'm not okay with kidnapping 14-17 year old foreign girls, and sneaking them into the United States, and forcing them into prostitution by threats of/actual physical violence, or keeping them drugged up.  You would think that would already be covered by kidnapping laws though...and ruining someones life like that calls for something much harsher than a $10,000 fine(go get 'em Washington State)...you know, like a hole in the ground.

Part of this law(making it illegal to advertise for underage sex) are being held up by a Judge, because of a lawsuit by a company that serves as an online 'clearing house' for escorts.  Ummm...once again...I'm a libertarian...but, if sex with minors is illegal, then why wouldn't advertising for sex with minors be illegal?  Murder is illegal, and I can go to jail for offering to murder someone...whyh not offering to have sex with a 15-year old?

We are so broken.

Let's see...the State of Washington used to have inmates make uniforms for the corrections officers, but since some of those uniforms are too tight, or have buttons to far apart, we are now going to contract that out, costing more money.  You know...as opposed to having them make the uniforms bigger...

In 'we are better than you' news, a law was passed that allows 'firefighters, police and military personnel carry or transport the knives that are illegal for the general public to have. The bill also allows the manufacture and transport of knives and was touted as a way to let knife-makers operate in Washington while selling the products in states where the knives are legal.'

I respect police...I respect firefighters, and I used to be a military personnel.  I still get offended by laws that let them do things us peons can't do.  How long until one of them stabs themselves with one of these fancy knives?  As far as 'trying to lure knife-makers'...firearms companies are finally starting to move away from state with unfriendly gun laws...do we honestly think knife makers are any dumber than that?

Finally, in the interest of 'our safety', a law was passed which allows the State Department of Licensing to begin issuing ID's with Biometric Data(facial recognition matching).  Yay.

So...if the article feels that only 7 or 8 of the laws were important enough to talk about, why did we pass the other 210 of them? 

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/06/07/2173067/human-trafficking-law-takes-effect.html#storylink=cpy