KIRO Newsradio is reporting gun stores in Washington are seeing a surge in their sales as an assault weapons ban is expected to be signed soon by Governor Jay Inslee. The bill was first introduced by Democrat Representative Strom Peterson at the request of both Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
The Washington state Senate passed the measure April 10 to ban the sale and manufacture of so-called assault weapons. If passed, Washington would become one of the first states in the country to implement a ban on the weapons.
Currently, nine states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York) have laws that ban the sale, manufacture, and transfer of assault weapons. The District of Columbia also has similar legislation in place.
The bill has an emergency clause meaning it would take effect immediately if signed by the Governor. The ban would spread across more than 60 different types of assault weapons including AR-15s, AK-47s, Uzi 9 mm carbines, M16s, and some semi-automatic shotguns. (KIRO Newsradio)
