Washington State to introduce AWB

[ericire12]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010527541_gunban17m.html

State lawmakers to seek ban on sales of semi-automatic weapons

In response to recent shooting deaths, three state lawmakers say they want to ban the sale of military-style semi-automatic weapons in Washington.

By Molly Rosbach

Seattle Times staff reporter

In response to recent shooting deaths, three state lawmakers say they want to ban the sale of military-style semi-automatic weapons in Washington.

The lawmakers intend to propose the ban in the state legislative session that begins next month.

The legislation, called the Aaron Sullivan Public Safety and Police Protection Bill, would prohibit the sale of such weapons to private citizens and require current owners to pass background checks.

It is named for Aaron Sullivan, 18, who was fatally shot last July in Seattle's Leschi neighborhood, allegedly with an assault-style weapon.

Supporters say they also are motivated by the Oct. 31 slaying of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton and the wounding of his partner. Police believe a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle was used then.

The bill is backed by Seattle's police department, spokeswoman Renee Witt said. Also pushing it is Washington Ceasefire, a nonprofit that seeks to reduce gun violence. The group plans a news conference today to announce the proposal.

The lawmakers who plan to sponsor the bill are Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina; Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle; and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle.

The ban would cover semiautomatics designed for military use that are capable of rapid-fire and can hold more than 10 rounds. Semiautomatics designed for sporting or hunting purposes wouldn't be banned.

"If they're used in the army, used in the war — that's what this ban is about," said Ralph Fascitelli, the board president of Washington Ceasefire.

Dave Workman, senior editor of Gun Week, a publication of the Second Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, said such a ban would punish law-abiding citizens who own such guns.

"I don't care if my neighbor has a dozen of the things; ... as long as he's not hurting anyone or breaking any laws, leave him alone," Workman said.

He also said he doesn't consider the gun police say was used to kill Brenton an assault rifle.

Hunter knows getting the bill through the Legislature would be difficult, because of concerns about limits on gun ownership. However, he thinks the ban is necessary.

"We don't allow people to own tanks or bazookas or machine guns, and very few people think that that's an unreasonable restriction," he said.

Kohl-Welles said the lawmakers are trying to be practical and aren't suggesting guns be taken from current owners.

"What we're trying to get at is there's no place to have sales of military assault rifles or weapons in this state," she said.

She also said she doesn't believe such a ban would violate the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms.

"Did the framers of our Constitution ever envision something like a semi-automatic weapon?" she asked.

[tt11758]

ONE MORE TIME FOR THE IGNORANT AMONG US:

1)  SEMI-automatic weapons are NOT "assault weapons", nor are they "weapons used in battle or used in war."  And who are you, Ralph Fascitelli, to decide which of MY guns is "suitable for hunting".

2)  (to paraphrase Dan Aykroyd from the old "Saturday Night Live" skit with Jane Curtin) Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, you ignorant bitch.  The Founding Fathers included the 2nd amendment not to guarantee the availability of guns for hunting purposes, but just in case the day came when the citizens of this country had to protect itself from a government run amock (read that as, "people like you").

3)  What part of "Shall not be infringed" is so goddamned hard to understand?!?

4) 




Rant Off..................for now.

[tombogan03884]

Lets see if I have this straight, because of the deaths of the 4 Cops the state wants to ban guns that WERE NOT USED IN THE CRIME ?
What a load of crap. Another assault on our 2A rights. Disguised behind a bunch of BS.
"The lawmakers who plan to sponsor the bill are Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina; Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle; and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle."

Like Suzanna Hupp told Chuck Schumer, "The 2A is to protect people like us from people like YOU."

[MikeBjerum]

I'm not worried, because none of my AR's were designed or built for military use.  Military uses full auto, and my competition and hunting guns are semi-auto    However, all you Remington 700 owners need to worry, because those are the M24's in a different color ... oooooops ... they aren't scary ... they are only extremely accurate, so no one would every use one of them to kill ... my bad  

There should be a law against people writing legislation when they don't understand what they are writing about  

[tombogan03884]

I'm not worried, because none of my AR's were designed or built for military use.  Military uses full auto, and my competition and hunting guns are semi-auto    However, all you Remington 700 owners need to worry, because those are the M24's in a different color ... oooooops ... they aren't scary ... they are only extremely accurate, so no one would every use one of them to kill ... my bad 

There should be a law against people writing legislation when they don't understand what they are writing about 

These scum sucking bottom feeders DO know what they are writing about, it's just another nibble at eroding ALL our rights.

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

I'm not worried, because none of my AR's were designed or built for military use.  Military uses full auto, and my competition and hunting guns are semi-auto    However, all you Remington 700 owners need to worry, because those are the M24's in a different color ... oooooops ... they aren't scary ... they are only extremely accurate, so no one would every use one of them to kill ... my bad 

There should be a law against people writing legislation when they don't understand what they are writing about 

Those evil sniper rifles.... why would anyone want to put a high powered scope on a rifle anyway if it were not intended to be used assassinate the president merely because they do not like the color of his skin... or something like that

 

[tombogan03884]

They want to get rid of even RIFLES that are "Black". Who's the racists ?

[tombogan03884]

Those evil sniper rifles.... why would anyone want to put a high powered scope on a rifle anyway if it were not intended to be used assassinate the president merely because they do not like the color of his skin he's a f-cking communist... or something like that

 

Fixed it for you   

[Timothy]

It's funny.....

Assachusetts' "assault weapons ban" doesn't ban the rifle.

They ban the flash hider, bayonet mount, collapsible stock and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.  Last I checked, it was the rifle that actually fired the projectile not the rest of that garbage.

Again, we don't have it so bad as some......

[Dharmaeye]

Afraid something like this would happen. The Seattle area is too much like Califomia and controls the state.
State and Fed Democrat controlled.
I'm sure a lot of Western  and Southern WA people would love to join ID/ OR.