OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill that would ban assault weapons in Washington state passed the House on Wednesday night.
HB 1240 would prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon in the state. The term assault weapon characterizes all of the following types of weapons below in the language of the bill.
- semiautomatic rifles with an overall length of less than 30 inches; semiautomatic centerfire rifles that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and have one or more additional features listed in the bill;
- semiautomatic centerfire rifles with a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds;
- semiautomatic pistols that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and have one or more additional features listed in the bill;
- semiautomatic shotguns that have one or more additional features listed in the bill;
- specific firearm models identified in the bill; and conversion kits and parts that can be used to assemble an assault weapon or convert a firearm into an assault weapon, if the parts are in the possession of or under the control of the same person.
There will be several exceptions within the bill, including sales to the military and law enforcement and for selling to out-of-state customers.
The bill passed with 55 yeas and 42 nays, and now heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Both Gov. Jay Inslee and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson released statements Wednesday night applauding the passing of the bill in the House.
“Assault weapons have contributed to some of the deadliest shootings over the last decade, and keeping more of them out of our communities will make Washington a safer place,” Inslee said. “I applaud the bill sponsors and the Attorney General’s Office for helping advance this crucial public safety measure.”
“The House today put public safety above the interest of the gun lobby,” Ferguson said. “The devastation of mass shootings extends far beyond the casualties and injuries. Mass shootings traumatize entire communities. We must stop selling these weapons of war in Washington.”