Washington state's Initiative 594 is the latest and most comprehensive attempt to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners in the Evergreen State. Although proponents describe it as a âuniversal background checkâ measure, Initiative 594 is in reality a universal handgun registration scheme. Under I-594, every time a handgun is transferred, the person receiving the handgun will have their name added to the government database being maintained by the state Department of Licensing. I-594 will specifically regulate transfers, not sales.