When lawmakers return to Olympia on Monday for the 2020 legislative session, they’ll take up a list of bills that aim to prevent gun violence, ranging from bans on certain types of weapons to an increase in training and background checks.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson proposed a package of legislation last month “to combat mass shootings in Washington state.” For the first time, Gov. Jay Inslee joined Ferguson in calling for a ban on assault weapons and limits on high-capacity magazines.
Ferguson also wants the state to require background checks for people buying ammunition.
“In 2019, we saw more mass killings than any year on record, many using high-capacity magazines and assault weapons," Ferguson told The Associated Press. “We continue to see growing evidence that restricting access to high-capacity magazines and assault weapons will save lives.”