OLYMPIA—Earlier today, the House of Representatives approved legislation to ban bump-fire stocks. Senate Bill 5992, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 56-41.
The bill would prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, possession, transfer or transport of bump-fire stocks in Washington state. The prohibition on the manufacture and sale would begin on July 1, 2018, while the other provisions of the bill would become effective in 2019, allowing time for those who own bump-fire stocks to forfeit them to law enforcement and receive reimbursement.
During her speech on the House floor in support of the bill, Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, recited the names of each victim of the Las Vegas mass shooting.
Bump-fire stocks are trigger modifications that allow semi-automatic firearms to replicate fully automatic weapons, such as a machine gun. Under Washington state law, manufacturing, owning, selling, possessing, loaning, furnishing, or transporting a machine gun is a felony.
The destructive potential of bump-fire stocks came to national attention when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers in Las Vegas last October. The gunman utilized bump-fire stocks to fire over 1,100 rounds, killing 58 and injuring hundreds.
“The people of Washington are counting on us to take action and ensure our communities are safe from gun violence,” said Senn after the passage of the bill. “This may be a small step, but it is a step toward making our communities safer.”
Senate Bill 5992 heads back to the Senate for concurrence before heading to Governor Inslee for his consideration.