Senate passes ban on assault weapons. Here’s what would be banned under the law

Senate lawmakers voted 27-21 Saturday afternoon for House Bill 1240, which bans the purchase and sale of assault weapons in the state of Washington.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, and co-sponsored by 25 other Democratic lawmakers in the House at the request of Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

“Young people are taking to the streets and will hold us accountable if we don’t do something,” said Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue. “When we’re talking about mass shootings and the killing of people quickly and without warning, we’re talking about assault weapons. And that’s why we’re here today, we’re here to say: enough is enough.”

The bill will need to go back to the House chamber where it originated for concurrence on Senate amendments before it can be signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. The legislation contains an emergency clause that would render it effective immediately upon a signature from the governor.

HB 1240 would prohibit the “manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of any assault weapon.” Some exceptions for licensed firearm manufacturers and dealers are baked into the legislation, allowing law enforcement agencies to continue to purchase from firearms dealers and manufacturers, for instance.

Exceptions are included for those who inherit an assault weapon, and the bill would not regulate possession for Washingtonians who currently own an assault weapon.

Violations of the proposed legislation would be a gross misdemeanor, which can include jail time for up to 364 days and a fine of no more than $5,000.

Debate on the bill took more than two hours Saturday, with several Republicans speaking in opposition to the proposed legislation.

Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, told the Senate that since 2015, 37 bills have been passed by state lawmakers to reduce gun violence, and that none of the legislation has prevented gun violence or crime.

He said those laws haven’t been working, and that crime in Washington isn’t just about firearms, it’s also about drugs and unsafe drivers.

“The one thing that I see that lacks in this legislation today is bipartisanship to solve the problem,” Muzzall said. “Why? Because we’re focusing on some firearms that we consider to be scary.”

A striking amendment from the Senate Law and Justice Committee was adopted on the Senate floor Saturday that clarified the definition of importation. That clarification said that individuals who live in Washington but travel back and forth from other states with the assault weapons they currently own would not be subject to the definition.

More than 20 amendments were proposed, mostly by Republicans, with the exception of one amendment introduced by Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton.

Randall’s amendment would provide an exception for firearms dealers, and would allow them to sell or transfer existing stock outside of the state for up to 90 days after the law goes into effect.

Republicans voted against the amendment because they argued it did not go far enough, but Senate Democrats voted in favor.

Also adopted by Senate lawmakers was an amendment introduced by Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Wooley, that would provide exceptions for military retirees moving to the state and active duty military members on orders to Washington.

Sen. Jim McCune, R-Graham, introduced an amendment that would have removed the emergency clause in the bill, but that amendment was voted down by Democrats.

“Gun violence is an emergency,” said Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue. “Kids getting shot in schools is an emergency.”

Here is the list of the specific firearms included in the bill that would be banned:

• AK-47 in all forms

• AK-74 in all forms

• Algimec AGM-1 type semiautomatic

• American Arms Spectre da semiautomatic carbine

• AR15, M16, or M4 in all forms

• AR 180 type semiautomatic

• Argentine L.S.R. semiautomatic

• Australian Automatic

• Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 and 1927 semiautomatics

• Barrett .50 cal light semiautomatic

• Barrett .50 cal M87

• Barrett .50 cal M107A1

• Barrett REC7

• Beretta AR70/S70 type semiautomatic

• Bushmaster Carbon 15

• Bushmaster ACR

• Bushmaster XM-15

• Bushmaster MOE

• Calico models M100 and M900

• CETME Sporter 4CIS SR 88 type semiautomatic

• Colt CAR 15

• Daewoo K-1

• Daewoo K-2

• Dragunov semiautomatic

• Fabrique Nationale FAL in all forms

• Fabrique Nationale F2000

• Fabrique Nationale L1A1 Sporter

• Fabrique Nationale M249S

• Fabrique Nationale PS90

• Fabrique Nationale SCAR

• FAMAS .223 semiautomatic

• Galil

• Heckler & Koch G3 in all forms

• Heckler & Koch HK-41/91

• Heckler & Koch HK-43/93

• Heckler & Koch HK94A2/3

• Heckler & Koch MP-5 in all forms

• Heckler & Koch PSG-1

• Heckler & Koch SL8

• Heckler & Koch UMP

• Manchester Arms Commando MK-45

• Manchester Arms MK-9

• SAR-4800

• SIG AMT SG510 in all forms

• SIG SG550 in all forms

• SKS

• Spectre M4

• Springfield Armory BM-59

• Springfield Armory G3

• Springfield Armory SAR-8

• Springfield Armory SAR-48

• Springfield Armory SAR-3

• Springfield Armory M-21 sniper

• Springfield Armory M1A 7Smith & Wesson M&P 15

• Sterling Mk 1

• Sterling Mk 6/7

• Steyr AUG

• TNW M230

• FAMAS F11

• Uzi 9mm carbine/rifle

The legislation further defines assault weapons as “semiautomatic rifles with an overall length of less than 30 inches; conversion kits and parts that can be used to assemble an assault weapon or convert a firearm into an assault weapon, if the parts are in the possession of or under the control of the same person; semiautomatic centerfire rifles that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and have one or more additional features listed in the bill; semiautomatic centerfire rifles with a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds; semiautomatic pistols that have the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and have one or more additional features listed in the bill; semiautomatic shotguns that have one or more additional features listed in the bill.”

Some of those additional features listed in the legislation include folding or telescoping stocks, flash suppressors, muzzle brakes and thumbhole stocks.

The passage of the bill comes one day after Senate lawmakers voted to approve a 10-day waiting period for all gun purchases in the state.

According to Giffords Law Center, nine other states including Hawaii, California and New York, as well as the District of Columbia, have passed general assault weapons bans.

The last day of the legislative session is April 23.