The Kennewick City Council on Oct. 7 adopted an ordinance amending Kennewick Municipal Code section 10.12.060 to explicitly identify possession of a pistol by a person under 21 as a misdemeanor, a change requested by the Administrative Office of the Courts to mirror state law.

City Attorney (Laurencio) explained the amendment does not change the substance of enforcement; it codifies that the local offense is a misdemeanor consistent with the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). “It’s always been prosecuted as a misdemeanor,” he said, adding that the RCW language already treats offenses not identified as gross misdemeanors as misdemeanors.

Questions from council focused on exemptions and officer discretion. The city attorney identified statutory exceptions that mirror state law—possessing a firearm in one’s residence, business, or property under one’s control, and lawful travel to a shooting range or hunter‑safety course among them—and said officers retain discretion when circumstances arise (for example, whether a firearm in a vehicle is in secure storage or in plain view).

Council action and vote: Mayor Pro Tem Torelli moved to adopt the ordinance and council member Beecham seconded. The clerk recorded the vote as 6 in favor and 1 opposed; the motion passed 6‑1.

Why it matters: The ordinance is administrative and intended to satisfy the Administrative Office of the Courts’ records requirements. City staff said it does not expand or restrict lawful exemptions already defined in state law and that charging discretion remains with law enforcement and the prosecuting authority.

Next steps: The city will implement the code amendment; staff said the change primarily affects which local office prosecutes and creates an explicit local code citation for court processing.