Money starts to flow in for gun initiatives

OLYMPIA — While state voters won’t weigh in on competing gun-related ballot measures for months, money already is pouring into the campaigns in advance of the November election.

Initiative 594, which proposes universal background checks for gun sales and transfers, has a significant fundraising advantage over its rival. Initiative 591 would prevent the state from adopting background-check laws that go beyond the national standard, which requires the checks for sales by licensed dealers but not for purchases from private sellers. Both campaigns are expected to draw national money in the coming months as they heat up.