We have universal background checks for everything in Washington and it's a complete clusterfuck. Some asshole who should have stayed in NYFC where he belongs came out here, along with some local assholes, and spent millions of dollars on ramming this thing through as an initiative and now we're stuck with it. It's so fucked that even the police don't generally have an idea of how to enforce it. You know those little party poppers that look like a champagne bottle? FIREARM purchased with no NICS check or Form 4473. Give that party popper to someone else to use. ILLEGAL TRANSFER. Both felonies, by the way. Powder actuated nail guns or Ramsets? FIREARMS, see above. Going shooting with friends and shoot one of their firearms? ILLEGAL TRANSFER.
Those examples might seem extreme, but they fit the elements of the new law. They pass the test as firearms. Think about this next time you're in the party store or Home Depot and buying low grade pyrotechnics: Do YOU want to be the test case??? LGS's in my area won't even LEGALLY TRANSFER a used firearm for a private sale, the very thing the law was designed to implement, because of the vagaries and assumed liabilities. They've just decided that losing that portion of business is preferable.
So, gun shops are apparently avoiding the main focus of the law like the plague because they're terrified of losing their licenses or being sued, and everyday regular, non-criminal, gun owning life has been inundated in stupidity. In addition to this, I-594 was specifically not a "gun control measure" during the run up, but is a "gun control measure" after it passed. The most insane part of this is I'm certain most voters didn't even read the description of the initiative when they voted because Americans tend not to do that and politicians know it. So they couch some horrible law in a warm and fuzzy name and count on you not reading the description. "Hmmmm Universal Background Checks for Firearms, sounds great, vote for yay, next..."
And, of course, it was all common sense and for the kids.