The state of Washington was issued with a lawsuit by the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation after a new gun-control law was passed on Thursday.
The suit is the most recent action by the two organizations against new gun regulations enacted by ballot initiative 1639. The ballot passed during the midterm elections, after being met with resistance. The same organizations took legal action against the methods used to collect signatures for the petition. While a state judge disqualified the initiative at first, the state supreme court reversed the ruling, letting it proceed in the ballot and eventually be voted into approval.
Initiative 1639 implemented new restrictions on the sale and ownership of semiautomatic firearms. This included background checks, storage requirements, and waiting periods. It also raised the minimum age to own a semiautomatic rifle to 21.
The organizations filed a suit against the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington, claiming that these changes violate the first, second, and fourth amendments, as well as the commerce clause of the Washington State Constitution. Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, said the following in a statement.
“The NRA is committed to restoring the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding Washingtonian. I-1639 violates the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and puts people at risk. This lawsuit is the first step in the fight to ensure that Washingtonians are free to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense.”
Others feel that the NRA and SAF are actively hindering gun safety. With mass shootings an unfortunately common occurrence in the United States, many feel that by having a more rigorous approval process will make the country safer.