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Washington Examiner
Restoring America
20 Apr 2023


NextImg:Semi-automatic rifle ban passes Washington state legislature after several failed attempts

Lawmakers have passed a bill through the Democratic-controlled Washington state legislature, enacting a ban on dozens of semi-automatic rifles, becoming the 10th state in the United States to ban the sale of assault weapons .

The bill was given final approval on Wednesday in a 55-42 vote, with one excused, and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA).

GUN VIOLENCE EMERGENCIES PROMPT CONCERNS OF GOVERNMENT OVERREACH

“WA does not and will not accept gun violence as normal,” Inslee wrote on Twitter Wednesday. “Banning the sale of assault weapons, our bill to enact training requirements and a wait period, and the bill to improve accountability of manufacturers and retailers will save lives.”

House Bill 23-1240 would prohibit the sale, distribution, manufacture, and importation of about 60 types of assault weapons, including AR-15s, AK-74s, AK-47s, and comparable military-style rifles. The legislation defines an assault weapon as a “semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine" and includes other characteristics from a lengthy list of requirements.

The ban excludes antique firearms, any permanently inoperable firearms, or those that are “manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action.”

Sponsored by Democratic Rep. Strom Peterson, similar legislation has failed in the state before. The bill comes as the United States has seen a wave of high-profile mass shootings. As of mid-April, the Gun Violence Archive has reported more than 160 mass shootings this year.

“As someone who has lost a person I love to gun violence, I am thrilled that the House voted to pass a bill to hold gun dealers and manufacturers accountable for the destruction they cause to families,” Democratic Rep. Liz Berry said in a video statement from the Washington House Democrats.

Republicans strongly opposed the bill, claiming the ban is an unconstitutional infringement of gun rights, and would target responsible gun owners.

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“This bill just makes our state and our country less safe. Because we're criminalizing the good men and women, who are good law-abiding citizens,” Republican Rep. Leonard Christian said during the hearing.

Many states have been considering assault weapon restrictions or bans, including Colorado, which failed to pass House Bill 23-1230, after 12 hours of testimony on Wednesday.