Lawmakers in Washington state have approved a ban on so-called assault weapons. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said he supports the legislation.
State senators passed the ban in a 27-21 vote on April 8, about a month after the state’s House of Representatives advanced the measure in a 55–42 vote.
“These weapons of war have no place in our schools, places of worship, our streets or in our communities. Banning assault weapons marks a victory for common sense and will help us move toward a safer future for Washingtonians,” state Sen. Patty Kuderer, a Democrat, said in a statement.
House Bill 1240, the measure, would prohibit “the manufacture, importation, distribution, selling, and offering for sale of assault weapons.” Exceptions include selling “assault weapons” to law enforcement agencies.
It says that assault weapons “are civilian versions of weapons created for the military and are designed to kill humans quickly and efficiently” and “are not suitable for self-defense.”
The bill does not prohibit possession of the guns.
People who violate the measure, if it becomes law, would face a gross misdemeanor. In the state, that can bring a jail term of up to 364 days and a fine of up to $5,000.
The state Senate amended the ban, including by adding an exception for people on active military duty and military retirees who move to Washington state, meaning the state House must pass it again. Democrats, who generally favor gun control, have majorities in both chambers of the state.
State Rep. Strom Peterson, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said that the ban was an “important step to protect the people we love.”
If the House passes the measure again, Inslee would choose whether to sign it. Inslee, a Democrat, has said he supports the ban.
“Passing an assault weapon ban will be a momentous step forward for Washington state,” Inslee said in a statement. “Time and again we’ve seen the carnage these weapons allow people to unleash on communities. But now the time is here when the majority’s will prevails and we put the lives of our children first.”
Nine states have laws in place banning so-called assault weapons.
Washington Sen. Lynda Wilson, a Republican, was among the senators who voted against the bill.
Speaking before the vote, Wilson challenged the claim that the weapons in question aren’t suitable for self-defense.
“The truth is that these are not assault weapons and are, in fact, some of the most effective personal defense firearms available,” she said.
The Alliance for Gun Responsibility cheered the advancement of the legislation.
“We are so incredibly grateful to the legislators working alongside us to make this lifesaving progress possible so that all of our communities across our state can be safer from the scourge of gun violence,” Renee Hopkins, CEO of the group, said in a statement.
The National Rifle Owners of America Institute of Legislative Action, on the other hand, described the legislation as “a comprehensive ban on the future transferring, importing, and manufacturing of many semi-automatic firearms that law-abiding citizens commonly own for self-defense, competition, and recreation.”
