Washington State bans modern sporting rifles — Lawsuits filed

April 28th 2023The Governor, Jay Inslee of Washington State, signed a radical new law, House Bill 1240 that outlaws AR platform rifles and semi-auto, magazine-fed “modern sporting weapons” (MSRs). This new WA state legislation, which is an “emergency measure” that goes into effect immediately, will be fought at Federal Court. The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), a nonprofit organization, has filed a federal suit against Washington to challenge the constitutionality HB 1240. This law prohibits the sale, import and distribution of semi-automatic weapons. The lawsuit, named Hartford v. Ferguson was filed in the U.S. District Court for Western District of Washington. In addition, NSSF filed a Banta et al v. Ferguson against Washington’s Attorney-General Robert Ferguson and John Batiste Chief of Washington State Patrol. They are seeking declaratory and interim relief from the state authorities enforcing HB1240, which prohibits modern sporting firearms. Amanda Banta is the lead plaintiff. She is a 2012 Team USA Olympian, a 10-year member of U.S. Rifle Team, and a resident of Spokane Washington. GunsAmerica Digest reports that HB 1240 was part of a broader package of gun reforms signed into law. This includes a 10-day wait period, mandatory firearms instruction for prospective gun purchasers, and a legal pathway for the Attorney-General and family members of victims of shootings to sue gun manufacturers who market their products for prohibited persons. These additional provisions will take effect in the summer. HB 1240 includes exemptions for members of law enforcement and the military. Owners of black rifles who already own them are grandfathered-in, at least for the time being. “NSSF challenges Washington’s MSR prohibition, arguing that this violates the Second Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Heller that the Second Amendment protected the right to keep and bear weapons “typically owned by law-abiding individuals for lawful purposes.” Over 24.4 million MSRs are in circulation today. That’s more than the number of Ford F-150s that are on American roads. HB 1240 is very harsh. GunsAmerica Digest reports: “HB 1240 only gives firearm dealers and manufacturers 90 days to sell or transfer existing stock out of state. The bill also stipulates that violations of the law will be treated as misdemeanors, and could result in a maximum punishment of 364 days of jail time and a $5,000 fine. “”NSSF won’t stand by while politicians rip away Americans’ constitutional rights,” said Lawrence G. Keane Senior V.P. of NSSF. General Counsel. “The right to own and keep arms is a right of law-abiding citizens.” Washington politicians abuse their authority by usurping these rights to appease radical special interest groups. These politicians violate the oaths they took to defend and protect the Constitution and the rights that they represent. “SAF claims that the new law, which went into effect immediately, violates the Second and Fourteenth amendment rights and is seeking injunctions both temporary and permanent from the court. SAF founder and executive vice president. Alan M. Gottlieb criticised the state for putting political rights above constitutional rights. “[Washington] criminalized a common, important and useful means of self-defense: the modern semiautomatic firearm.” The state has put political interests ahead of constitutional rights and is penalizing law abiding citizens, while this legislation does not arrest or prosecute criminals [.]”
Adam Kraut, Executive Director of SAF, called out the authors and advocates of the legislation. “As we note, in our complaint, that the firearms Washington bans as “assault weapon” are, in every respect, ordinary semiautomatic weapons. They are safer and easier to operate because they differ from other semiautomatic weapons. “Similar Posts:Tags: AR15 Ban, Gov. Gun Control, Gun Control, HB1240, MSR Bans, NSSF, SAF Bans, Washington