By: José Niño
On April 19, 2023, the Democratic-controlled state legislature in Washington passed a bill to prohibit the future sale, importation, and production of so-called “assault weapons.”
The House passed House Bill 1240 by a vote of 56-42, with floor amendments tacked on to the bill in the Senate. These amendments would let firearms dealers sell or transfer firearms that were manufactured before January 1, 2023, only to clients who live out of state “for the limited period of 90 days after the effective date of this section.”
On top of that, there are exemptions for individuals who inherit these firearms, with this key point in mind: “A person who legally receives an assault weapon under this subsection may not sell or transfer the assault weapon to any other person in this state other than to a licensed dealer, to a federally licensed gunsmith for the purpose of service or repair, or to a law enforcement agency for the purpose of permanently relinquishing the assault weapon.”
Per a report by the Seattle Times, the new law will immediately prohibit over 50 gun models. This ban is not applicable to sales to law enforcement agencies or the military in the state. In addition, the bill does not prohibit firearms that countless Washington residents already own.
Governor Inslee is an enthusiastic anti-gun booster and is looking forward to signing this bill. In a tweet he posted on April 19, Inslee said “WA does not and will not accept gun violence as normal. Banning the sale of assault weapons, our bill to enact training requirements and a waiting period, and the bill to improve accountability of manufacturers and retailers will save lives.”
This bill’s passage was practically an inevitability given the partisan makeup of the Washington state government, which is under firm Democratic control. The State House (58-40) and State Senate (29-20) are safe Democratic bastions as well as the Governor’s mansion. So, passing this gun grab was a lay-up for Gun Control Inc. in Washington.
At this point, Washington state residents will have to use legal action or nullification of state gun control to stop the gun controllers in their tracks. The state legislature appears to be a lone gun.
José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Contact him via Facebook, Twitter, or email him at [email protected]. Get his e-book, The 10 Myths of Gun Control, here.