Oppose Washington's Assault Weapons Ban (SHB 1240)!
In 2023, the Washington Legislature, at the request of Attorney General Bob Ferguson, introduced a draconian "assault weapons ban" in House Bill 1240. The bill would severely restrict the rights of law-abiding Washingtonians and has wide-reaching unintended consequences that could affect the ability of anyone in Washington to own a suppressor.
You can call it a suppressor, a silencer, or a muffler – they all refer to the same thing: a device that reduces the noise of a gunshot to a less dangerous sound level. They do not silence anything – nothing can eliminate the noise of a gunshot. The CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) all support the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage for law-abiding gun owners, hunters, and their dogs.
Suppressors have been one of the most heavily regulated items in the country since the enactment of the National Firearms Act of 1934. They are controlled directly by the federal government at every step, from manufacture to sale – no exceptions.
The criminal misuse of a suppressor carries stiff Federal penalties. Using a suppressor in the commission of a crime carries a 30 year sentence. Even the simple possession of an unregistered suppressor carries a 10 year sentence and a $250k fine.
Despite all this, we estimate that there are over 100,000 suppressors in Washington state. When was the last time a lawfully possessed suppressor was used in the commission of a crime? I ask you this to frame my ultimate question:
What exact problem would this legislation fix?
It is a false solution in search of a problem that does not exist.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose House Bill 1240, or at a minimum, amend the language pertaining to suppressors and threaded barrels.
Take action to oppose SHB 1240.
Oppose Washington's Assault Weapons Ban (SHB 1240)!
In 2023, the Washington Legislature, at the request of Attorney General Bob Ferguson, introduced a draconian "assault weapons ban" in House Bill 1240. The bill would severely restrict the rights of law-abiding Washingtonians and has wide-reaching unintended consequences that could affect the ability of anyone in Washington to own a suppressor.
You can call it a suppressor, a silencer, or a muffler – they all refer to the same thing: a device that reduces the noise of a gunshot to a less dangerous sound level. They do not silence anything – nothing can eliminate the noise of a gunshot. The CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) all support the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage for law-abiding gun owners, hunters, and their dogs.
Suppressors have been one of the most heavily regulated items in the country since the enactment of the National Firearms Act of 1934. They are controlled directly by the federal government at every step, from manufacture to sale – no exceptions.
The criminal misuse of a suppressor carries stiff Federal penalties. Using a suppressor in the commission of a crime carries a 30 year sentence. Even the simple possession of an unregistered suppressor carries a 10 year sentence and a $250k fine.
Despite all this, we estimate that there are over 100,000 suppressors in Washington state. When was the last time a lawfully possessed suppressor was used in the commission of a crime? I ask you this to frame my ultimate question:
What exact problem would this legislation fix?
It is a false solution in search of a problem that does not exist.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose House Bill 1240, or at a minimum, amend the language pertaining to suppressors and threaded barrels.
Take action to oppose SHB 1240.