Legislature bans sale of high-capacity magazines in Washington
Saturday, March 5, 2022
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| These high capacity magazines were seized in a 2017 raid on a home in Shoreline. Photo courtesy KCSO |
The bill passed the Legislature after a historic 55-42 vote in the House of Representatives.
It heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
The House version of the bill, HB 1164, was sponsored by Rep. Javier Valdez, D-46.
Senate Bill 5078 prohibits the sale, attempted sale, manufacture and distribution of high-capacity magazines. Like Maryland, it does not prohibit the possession of high-capacity magazines, instead focusing prospectively on the supply side.
“For too long we have accepted gun violence as an inevitable part of life,” said Liias. “My own community was impacted by gun violence in 2016, when three young lives were lost due to a mass shooting.
Senate Bill 5078 prohibits the sale, attempted sale, manufacture and distribution of high-capacity magazines. Like Maryland, it does not prohibit the possession of high-capacity magazines, instead focusing prospectively on the supply side.
“Today is the fulfillment of years of hard work from so many,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said.
“More than five years ago, I stood with the parents of shooting victims, legislators, mayors, police chiefs and representatives from faith communities to say enough is enough, and proposed banning the sale of high-capacity magazines in Washington state.
"Today, our Legislature chose public safety over the gun lobby, and I am deeply appreciative of their service. This policy will save lives and make our communities safer from gun violence.”
“For too long we have accepted gun violence as an inevitable part of life,” said Liias. “My own community was impacted by gun violence in 2016, when three young lives were lost due to a mass shooting.
"Today," Liias said, "the Legislature took long overdue action to protect families across Washington from that harm by restricting the sale of high-capacity magazines. This is a commonsense policy that will save lives, and I am grateful for all of the years of advocacy that led to its passage.”
Washington will join nine states that already restrict high-capacity magazines. With Washington’s legislation in place, more than 100 million people will live in states that block the sale of magazines with more than 10 rounds.
Ferguson has been pursuing this legislative reform since September 2016. On July 30, 2016, a 19-year-old used an assault weapon and a high-capacity magazine to kill three students and seriously wound a fourth. In September 2016, Ferguson stood beside parents of shooting victims, legislators, mayors, police chiefs, and representatives of the faith community and vowed to continue proposing legislation to ban the sale of high capacity magazines every year until it passed.
The Washington State Medical Association, the Parent Teacher Association, the Washington Education Association, the Governor’s Office and many others have joined gun violence prevention groups, including the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Grandmothers Against Gun Violence, Washington Ceasefire and more to support the bill.
More information here.
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2 comments:
This is complete insanity!
You need to punish the criminals and Not law abiding 2A individuals.
Instead of punishing criminals (like that in the "summer of love") you are punishing lawful citizens and not the criminals.
This is yet another infringement on my constitutional rights in 2a, 5a, 14a, 1a, and so on.
Shame on you all for not knowing the facts about lawful firearm owners and highlighting the illiteracy of criminal actions to pass this disgraceful law.
Lock up the criminals so that my rights aren't trampled on for your propaganda
Within a few years, the number of people living in states with magazine limitations will go from 100 million to 0 after the Supreme Court rules the artificial restrictions unconstitutional.
If Bob Ferguson actually cared about public safety, he'd go after the criminals in our state perpetrating the violence, rather than law-abiding gun owners and police officers just doing their jobs.
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