More Washingtonians than ever have a license to carry a concealed weapon, state data shows.

Why it matters: The rise comes as state legislators have moved to tighten rules surrounding gun purchases.

• A new state law, which goes into effect in 2027, will require Washington residents to receive live-fire training, be fingerprinted and get a permit before buying guns, a change expected to affect thousands of potential buyers each year.

Driving the news: Washington reached 709,334 active concealed pistol licenses (CPLs) at the end of June, an all-time high, Christine Anthony of the Department of Licensing tells Axios.

• That's an increase of more than 10,000 since December, per state data.

By the numbers: About ​​20% of CPL holders in Washington are women.

• King County, the state's most populous county, also has the highest number of CPLs, nearly 114,000.
• Pierce County posted the biggest one-month gain, from May to June of this year, with 882 licenses.

What they're saying: "Long story short, people are arming up, and they're going to keep doing so ahead of the new restrictions," Dave Workman, editor in chief of TheGunMag, a publication of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, tells Axios.

• With a state population of close to 8 million, "that means possibly 1 out of every 10 people you pass on any given day is licensed to carry concealed, and may even be armed," he says.

The other side: Renée Hopkins, CEO of the Washington-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility, which backed the permit-to-purchase law, said the organization advocates for safe and responsible firearm ownership.

• "While we acknowledge more guns pose a greater threat to our communities, CPL holders tend to be responsible gun owners," Hopkins tells Axios.

Between the lines: Washington — among the top 10 states for the highest percentage of residents holding a concealed carry license — is a "shall issue" state, meaning the state must issue gun licenses to people who meet the requirements and pass a background check.

What we're watching: Whether demand for concealed pistol licenses keeps rising as the 2027 permit-to-purchase law approaches — and what legal challenges emerge against the law.

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King County has a relatively high share of trips taken on foot or by bicycle rather than in a vehicle, a new report finds.

Why it matters: Walking and biking are healthier alternatives to driving, while places designed for people rather than cars can have less air pollution, better neighborhood connectivity and other benefits.

Driving the news: Transportation data firm StreetLight ranked all counties with at least 150 people per square mile in the contiguous U.S. by their share of trips taken via "active transportation" — walking and biking — compared to vehicles in 2023.

Caveat: Transit trips were excluded from the analysis, which looked solely at car trips versus trips on foot or on two wheels.

Zoom in: By that metric, King County saw 14% of trips taken by walking and biking in 2023.

• That was well above the average among the counties analyzed, which was 9.5%.

Yes, but: King County didn't rank among the top 30 counties when it comes to active transportation.

• The top five were all part of the New York area, including New York (Manhattan, 59%), the Bronx (44%), Brooklyn (43%), Queens (35%) and New Jersey's Hudson County (28%).

The fine print: Some places that include dense urban areas — think Los Angeles and Chicago — also didn't make the top 30, as they're part of "sprawling counties," the report notes.

• Still, "census tracts within each of the cities proper might show significant active transportation activity," the report says.

The bottom line: Seattleites may walk or bike a fair amount compared to the national average — but countywide, we're still more vehicle-dependent than dozens of other U.S. metro areas.

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🚌 New bus-only lanes in North Seattle aim to speed up transit commutes, but some businesses argue the changes will increase traffic congestion. (Seattle Times)

⚖️ A new Washington state law requiring clergy to report child abuse and neglect, even it is revealed during confession, was put on hold by a federal judge Friday. The law was set to go into effect later this month. (KING 5)

🏈 The Seahawks locked in a versatile defender and made NFL history by signing rookie safety Nick Emmanwori to the league's first fully guaranteed contract for a No. 35 pick. (Sports Illustrated)

🗑️ Trash pickup resumes today in parts of King and Snohomish counties that were affected by a garbage worker strike. (KING 5)

💰 Seattle NPR station KUOW raised nearly $1.5 million in less than 12 hours through an emergency fundraising campaign Friday, after Congress voted to cut funding for public broadcasting last week. (Seattle Times)

Last week's puzzle wasn't much of a stumper: almost everyone recognized the ornate ceiling of King Street Station.

• Opened in 1906, the grand station suffered poorly executed remodels and attempts at modernization until it was bought by Seattle for $10 in 2008 and restored for $56 million to its former glory, according to HistoryLink.
• It now serves Amtrak and Sound Transit Sounder passenger trains.

Stay tuned for the next round!