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Washington became the 10th state to ban the sale, manufacturing, and distribution of more than 50 assault-style weapons Tuesday.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee (D) signed into law Tuesday House Bill 1240, which bans the sale, manufacture, and distribution of assault-style weapons. Washington becomes the 10th state with such laws joining California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Illinois.
“AR-15s should not be idolized, they should be prohibited, and that’s what we’re doing here today,” Inslee said at the state capitol Tuesday.
Inslee also signed into law measures enacting a 10-day “waiting period and training requirement for all gun purchases” as well as a bill that will make it easier to sue gun manufacturers if they don’t enact “reasonable controls” to keep their products out of the hands of minors, gun traffickers, and those who aren’t supposed to have firearms.
“The legislature finds and declares that gun violence is a threat to the public health and safety of Washingtonians,” the bill says. “Assault weapons are civilian versions of weapons created for the military and are designed to kill humans quickly and efficiently.”
The White House praised Washington’s ban during a press briefing Tuesday.
“President Biden commends the leadership of Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and legislative leaders, as well as the advocates, survivors, and elected officials who fought for years to make today a reality,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “In so doing, they have made every community in the state – from Seattle to Spokane and everywhere in between – safer and more secure.”
A lawsuit has already been filed against Washington’s ban; however, Inslee is confident the ban will be upheld.