Gov. Jay Inslee says he is disappointed that a proposal to expand background checks on Washington state gun sales has stalled, but says he'll continue making phone calls on the issue.

After the issue locked up the House for much of the day Tuesday, the bill ultimately was not brought out for a vote and its sponsors conceded they could not get majority support for the measure, even with a proposed referendum clause that would have allowed the public to vote on the measure.

Inslee told TVW during an interview in the Capitol Wednesday he continues "to believe this is an important thing for safety in our state."

Gun buyers currently must undergo a background check when they purchase a weapon from a federally licensed firearms dealer. The bill would have extended such reviews to cover private gun transactions.