Washington Governor Set to Sign Comprehensive Ban on Assault Weapons in Effort to Save Lives

Washington’s governor is expected to sign a law banning the sale of semiautomatic weapons.

The Democratic Governor said, “We will not accept gun violence as something normal in Washington.” Jay Inslee posted a tweet on Wednesday after the House passed House Bill 1240.

The bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, and importation of “assault weaponry” (primarily semiautomatic weapons), with the exception of law enforcement and the military. The bill passed the Senate in early April and was sent back to the House where it passed by a vote 56-42.

Gun control advocates have struggled for years to define “assault weapon,” but HB1240 bans over 60 specific firearms. Most of these are semiautomatic long guns, such as AR-15s or AK-47s. The bill also prohibits semiautomatic pistols, shotguns, and other firearms that have certain features. However, the guns themselves are not specified.

The ban will come into effect as soon as Inslee signs it.

Firearms instructor blasts Washington’s ‘assault weapons’ banVide.

The bill states that “Assault Weapons are civilian versions created for military purposes and are designed to quickly kill people.”

Jane Milhans, a firearms instructor at Fox News, said that there was a lot of “misinformation”, surrounding the debate on gun control.

She said that people mistakenly believe that semiautomatic weapons are military rifles, but they are not. They require a trigger pull to fire each shot. This would place military personnel at a serious disadvantage if these weapons were used in the field.

Inslee, along with Attorney General Bob Ferguson, has been pushing for gun control measures during this legislative session. The lawmakers approved a 10-day wait period before all gun sales. They also approved mandatory firearms training for potential gun buyers and a bill that allowed the state to sue manufacturers.

Inslee continued his tweet by saying that “banning the sale of assault guns, our bill enacting training requirements and a waiting period, and the measure to improve accountability for manufacturers and retailers, will save lives.”

Gun dealers can sell their inventory to buyers outside of the state for 90 days following the passage of HB 1240.