By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
In what appears to have been a scramble to pass a ban on so-called “assault weapons” by Thursday—the 24th anniversary of the Columbine High School rampage in Littleton, Colo. in 1999—majority Democrats in the Washington State Legislature pushed through House Bill 1240 and sent it to Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk.
He was expected to promptly sign the bill, which takes effect immediately. It bans the future sale, import, manufacture and transfer of more than 50 specifically-identified firearms and similar guns, with some exceptions for sale to law enforcement and the military stationed in the state.
But waiting in the wings are several gun rights organizations, who are expected to quickly challenge the law in federal court. Among them is the Second Amendment Foundation, based in Bellevue, Washington, which is already challenging similar bans in California and Maryland.
There was no small irony in the fact that the bill was passed on April 19, the 248th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which ignited the American Revolution. Those battles were fought to resist an effort by British troops to seize arms and ammunition stockpiled by the Colonial militia.
According to KOMO News, the ABC affiliate in Seattle, the law takes effect immediately when Gov. Inslee signs it. The report noted Inslee “has long advocated for such a ban. When the bill passed the state House in March, Inslee said he’s believed in it since 1994 when, as a member of the U.S. Congress, he voted to make it a federal law.”
The story didn’t recall it was his “Yes” vote on that 1994 bill which cost him his seat in Congress, representing his heavily-conservative and gun-owning Tri-City area in Washington’s 4th District. He moved to Western Washington and ran again in the 1st District, where he served for almost 12 years before resigning to run for the governorship in order to succeed retiring Democrat Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Inslee and Democrat Attorney General Bob Ferguson have both asked the Legislature for the ban over the past few years.
As soon as the House approved the amended version of the bill, Inslee tweeted, “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 wait period, and the bill to improve accountability of manufacturers and retailers will save lives.”
There were some revealing reactions from KOMO viewers at the station’s website where they responded to the story. One person, identified as “iamwoke,” wrote, “I hope we disarm every gun owner. That’s the goal.” Another erroneously insisted, “The second amendment (sic) only gives us the right to an armed, well regulated militia, nothing more, hence the reason the second amendment starts with “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State….”it has been intentionally misinterpreted by SCOTUS with the backing of the NRA.”
The Associated Press and Seattle Times noted this is not the first gun control measure passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature this session. Earlier, lawmakers approved a bill allowing people to sue gun manufacturers and retailers if their family members “die from gun violence.”
Another bill requires gun buyers to provide proof they have taken a firearms safety training course, and impose a 10-day waiting period on the purchase of a firearm.
With their majority, Democrats in Washington have been emboldened to push through as many restrictive gun laws as possible.
As noted by KING 5 News—the Seattle-based NBC affiliate—the adopted bill includes a floor amendment that will “allow gun manufacturers to sell inventory already in stock prior to Jan. 1, 2023, and only to out-of-state clientele for 90 days after the bill goes into effect.”
Washington State Sen. Lynda Wilson (R-Vancouver) predicted the law will “end up in court immediately” because it violates both the state and federal constitutions.
