Magazine Capacity Ban Legislation Heads to Gov. Inslee Despite Bipartisan Opposition

Back in January 2021, magazine capacity ban legislation was introduced in both the Washington State House and Senate.  Despite being stagnant for nearly a year,  Senate Bill 5078 has made it through the state legislature in 2022.  SB 5078 was passed through the full Washington State Senate on February 9th by a vote of 28 to 20.  On Friday, March 4th, the Washington House of Representatives passed SB 5078 by a vote of 55-42, despite bipartisan opposition to the bill. It now will head to Governor Jay Inslee's desk for his signature.

Of note, on Monday, February 7th Senate Bill 5078 was amended to state that "large-capacity" magazines are those capable of holding 10 rounds of ammunition or more.  Originally, SB 5078 defined "large-capacity" magazines as those being capable of holding 17 rounds or more.  Previously, another amendment had been offered to limit magazine capacity to 12 rounds or more, but regrettably, they opted for the more extreme option. 

At FPC we believe in advocating for our position until the final signature is added.  We are asking our supporters to reach out to Gov. Inslee and demand that he stand with the peaceable people of his state by vetoing SB 5078.  To have your voice heard on this topic before it's too late, please use FPC's constituent outreach tool located on this page to contact your governor today.  We understand the political reality in Washington State, but if a couple of legislators could cross party lines in the state legislature to vote against this bill, perhaps Gov. Inslee may see an opportunity to oppose it as well. This may be a stretch, but it is worth the outreach.  If we flood his inbox with an overflow of opposition to the bill, there is a small chance Gov. Inslee may understand how unpopular the bill truly is outside of Olympia. FPC has drafted a sample email that you are encouraged to review, edit, and personalize prior to sending it off to Gov. Inslee.  We thank you in advance for taking action on this legislative alert and for your continued support of FPC.