Washington: Resurrected Mag Ban Scheduled for Hearing on Tuesday

After failing to pass bills to ban standard capacity magazines through the normal legislative process, anti-gun legislators playing procedural games have reintroduced this legislation as House Bill 2947, which is now scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, February 25^th.

All NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters are encouraged to attend the hearing to express your disappointment to this procedural stunt and to voice your opposition to HB 2947. Also, please use the Take Action button below to contact members of the House Finance Committee. HB 2947 will be heard for a total of 45 minutes, with public testimony limited to 90 seconds per person.

Tuesday, February 25^th at 8:00am
House Hearing Rm A
 John L. O'Brien Building
Olympia, WA

House Bill 2947 includes much of the same language as the previous standard capacity magazine ban bills that failed to meet the crossover deadline. In order to bypass legislative rules, anti-gun legislators have added a “buy-back” provision in order to make this an appropriations bill that is not subject to the same deadlines. Additionally, the title of the bill has been changed in an effort to limit amendments on the floor.

As resurrected, House Bill 2947 bans the manufacture, possession, sale, transfer, etc. of magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds of ammunition. It appropriates funds for the State Patrol to conduct a “buy-back.” Such turn-in events serve as nothing more than propaganda for gun control advocates while failing to promote public safety in any measurable way.

These limitations are strongly supported by the Governor and the Attorney General. So called “high capacity” magazines are in fact standard equipment for commonly-owned firearms that many Americans legally and effectively use for an entire range of legitimate purposes, such as self-defense or competition. Those who own non-compliant magazines prior to the ban are only allowed to possess them on their own property and in other limited instances such as at licensed shooting ranges or while hunting. Restricted magazines have to be transported unloaded and locked separately from firearms and stored at home locked, making them unavailable for self-defense.

Again, please plan to attend the committee hearing if you are able, and also contact committee members and ask them to OPPOSE HB 2947.