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What can Seattle and Washington state do to reduce gun violence?

Phil Watson, Second Amendment Foundation

State Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle

That question is on the minds of many public officials, with King County and Seattle launching a gun buyback program and state lawmakers preparing to discuss new legislation this session.

On Wednesday at noon, Seattle Times readers are invited to participate in an online chat about those topics and others with state Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, and Phil Watson, special projects director for the Second Amendment Foundation.

Kline, who has been in the Senate since 1997, is a fierce advocate of stricter gun laws. Watson, a conservative activist, is an equally fierce defender of gun rights.

Seattle Times reporter Brian M. Rosenthal

Here is more information about the participants:

Adam Kline, a Democrat and longtime lawyer, has represented South Seattle and South King County in the state Senate since 1997. During that time, he has sponsored several gun policy bills, including efforts to ban assault weapons and  require federal background-checks at gun shows. For the past eight years, he has chaired the Judiciary Committee, which works on gun policy. When the new Legislature convenes next week, he will serve as the ranking minority member of that committee.

Phil Watson is a local conservative political activist currently involved in several organizations that advocate for gun rights. He is the director of special projects for the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, the executive director of the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arm Rights and the online editor of TheGunMag.com.

Moderator Brian M. Rosenthal is a Seattle Times staff reporter.