SEATTLE — On Tuesday, Governor Jay Inslee went on MSNBC and said he'll "be signing a bill in the next couple of weeks to ban assault weapons."
Gov. Inslee knows this with certainty because Democrats control the legislature in Olympia. House Bill 1240 bans the sale, manufacture and import of assault weapons, as defined by Democrats, in Washington state.
It does not ban the possession of an assault weapon and it allows for ownership by law enforcement and military service members and an exception in cases of inheritance. A list of all guns that will be banned can be found below on pages 3 and 4.
Natalya McConnell, one of the founders of Seattle Student Union, says this impending assault weapons ban feels like a victory for her organization.
"Youth have power and we've shown that," McConnell said. "The fact we're able to pass an assault weapons ban statewide gives a lot of hope to youth."
While McConnell is happy about the impending passage of HB 1240, she believes Democratic lawmakers, who've had a trifecta in Olympia since 2018, could have acted sooner. She points to direct action by advocates and protesters as the reason lawmakers have acted.
During the debate of HB 1240, Democrats referenced preventing mass shootings as the reason this bill needs to become law.
“We are the only country in the world that grapples with the horror of mass shootings, and today we took a critical step forward — and took the weapon of choice away from those who would do innocent people harm,” said Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) sponsor of the Senate companion bill, SB 5265.
Republicans, however, pushed back. They called the bill unconstitutional and punishing to lawful gun owners. Republicans tried to amend the bill to narrow the definition to no avail
Sen. Keith Wagoner wanted to take guns that use silencers off the list.
”I’m not aware of a single mass shooting incident in which a sound suppressor was used,” said Wagoner, (R-Sedro Woolley).
Sen. Lynda Wilson (R-Clark County) argued the law will harm legal gun owners who want to defend themselves.
”We’re going soft on crime. That’s the reason why our violence is getting higher and higher in Washington state,” Wilson argued.
If HB 1240 is signed by Governor Jay Inslee, lawsuits are likely. McConnell says that's unfathomable.
"If someone's willing to challenge this legislation in court, they're saying students should be killed in school," she said.
McConnell says her generation has grown up in fear. From Sandy Hook to the Nashville school shooting, mass shootings in schools have left a huge impact on their lives.
"A lot of us have given up," McConnel said. "There's school shooting after school shooting. We hear the news. There's a frenzy, but then nothing happens by lawmakers."
McConnell has put together several protests and walkouts. One of the biggest took place back in November in response to the school shooting at Ingraham High School in Seattle.
"We have to get involved in politics and advocate for ourselves even more because adults aren't protecting us," McConnel said.
An assault weapons ban would not have directly stopped the 14-year-old charged with first-degree murder for the Ingraham High School shooting. Authorities say he used a handgun. However, McConnell believes the soon-to-be-signed assault weapons ban will help change the culture around guns, helping to prevent more school shootings.
"More than ever students are becoming involved and that's the next generation of politics. I'm excited about what's going to happen in the future," she said.