09/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/27/2024 10:15
RICHLAND - A federal judge agreed with Attorney General Bob Ferguson today and rejected another attempt to block Washington's new law banning the sale of assault weapons. This is the fourth time a court has ruled that the ban should remain in place while legal challenges continue.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Dimke rejected a request in Banta, et al. v. Ferguson, et al. to grant a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of House Bill 1240. The lawsuit was filed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, along with several other plaintiffs.
Last year, three other attempts to block the law were also rejected. In September 2023, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp rejected a request for a preliminary injunction blocking the law in Guardian Arms v. Inslee. In June 2023, the same judge rejected a motion for a temporary restraining order in the same case. Also in June 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Bryan rejected a request to block the law in a separate case, Hartford, et al. v. Ferguson, et al.
Ferguson and Gov. Jay Inslee jointly requested the bill. The new law went into effect as soon as it was signed April 25, 2023. Legal challenges began the same day.
"Once again, we defeated the gun lobby's attempt to block the ban on the sale of assault weapons," Ferguson said. "This common-sense reform protects Washingtonians by restricting access to weapons of war that devastate entire communities. We will continue defending the law in court."
Ferguson first proposed a ban on the sale of assault weapons in 2017, in the wake of a mass shooting at a Mukilteo house party in 2016. The shooter used a military-style assault rifle and a high-capacity magazine.
The new law prohibits the sale, manufacture and import of assault weapons in Washington state while allowing reasonable exemptions for manufacture and sale to law enforcement and the military. The law does not prohibit the possession of assault weapons.
Washington is the 10th state to adopt a similar ban. Multiple federal courts have upheld these public safety laws as constitutional.
The Attorney General's Office has successfully defended the state's commonsense firearms laws from attacks by the gun lobby:
The Attorney General's Office has also brought cases to enforce firearms safety laws:
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Washington's Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state's largest law firm, the Attorney General's Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington's 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.
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