OLYMPIA, WA – Washington State Governor Jay Inslee today signed three new gun safety bills into law, including one that makes Washington one of 10 states in America with a ban on assault weapons. The other measures make Washington one of a few states with a waiting period and training requirement for all gun purchases, and the other new law empowers consumers with the ability to sue firearm manufacturers or retailers for irresponsible conduct, something only four other states have enacted.
Inslee calls the new laws a “victory.”
“Today Washington state is putting the gun industry in its place and improving the health, safety and lives of our residents. I want to thank the many legislators and advocates who have worked for years to deliver some of these policies to the governor’s desk,” Inslee added.
From Governor’s Office:
Today marked the latest development in what the Seattle Times editorial board has called “a sea-change in Washington’s gun laws.” Voters touched off this cultural shift by passing I-1639 in 2018, the most comprehensive gun safety legislation up to that point in state history. Legislators have since enacted more common-sense reforms, like bans on bump stocks and high-capacity magazines, tools that amplify the destruction shooters can cause.
Statistics show that Washington’s work to counteract the epidemic of gun violence is working. From 2018 to 2021, the number of deaths by firearm nationwide increased substantially, but firearm deaths in Washington remain well below national averages. Still, gun violence claims the lives of more than two people every day in Washington, more than 800 people each year. Three quarters of those deaths are suicides. Studies suggest many gun deaths are preventable.
The bills Inslee signed today are evidence-based reforms that will provide further protections from gun violence for Washington communities.
Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Medium here.
