Washington state Democrats are proposing an additional tax on residents for “ammunition privileges” to reduce gun violence.
Democratic lawmakers from 15 states recently introduced House Bill 2238, citing the health and safety threats posed by gun violence across states. The bill was referred to the state Assembly's Finance Committee on Tuesday.
If passed, this bill would impose use and sales taxes on retail sales of ammunition.
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Ammunition for .45 caliber firearms. (AP Photo/Ricci Pedroncelli/File)
“A use tax shall be imposed on every person in this state for the privilege of using ammunition as a consumer at the rate of percent of the sales price,” the bill states.
The text of the bill defines ammunition as “a projectile having a fuse, propellant, or detonator designed to be fired from a firearm. 'Ammunition' includes any shotgun cartridge and any rifle, pistol, or revolver. Cartridge included.”
The proposed tax would be in addition to federal, state, and local sales and use taxes levied on sales of goods and services. However, the bill says it would not apply to sales to state, local, or tribal governments for the purpose of supplying law enforcement agencies.
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Aerial view of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images/File)
The National Rifle Association said it would oppose the bill's passage.
“This is a clear and unconstitutional assault aimed at punishing law-abiding Washingtonians,” National Rifle Association (NRA) Washington director Aoibhín Klein said in a statement to Fox News Digital. . “The NRA will steadfastly fight this absurd bill.”
“Even in 'blue' states, the arrogance and holiness of anti-2A (Second Amendment) extremists is their undoing,” said state Rep. Jim Walsh, chairman of the Washington Republican Party. It will happen,” he said.
“Washington HB 2238 is a poorly conceived and poorly drafted piece of work,” he told FOX News Digital in a statement. “He is also politically tone-deaf, with Washington residents from all sides of the political spectrum and in every region of the state now refusing to raise state taxes.”
Mr Walsh said the “real key” in the bill's text was the reference to “the privilege of using ammunition.”
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Screenshot of Washington state House Bill 2238, which proposes an additional tax on retail sales of ammunition. (Washington State Legislature)
“This amateurish statement exposes members who may support the bill to well-deserved ridicule,” he added. “Under both the federal and state constitutions, the possession and use of firearms is a right, not a privilege. Article I, Section 24 of the Washington State Constitution states: “If a person “The right to bear arms in defense of the United States'' shall remain unimpaired…. Its language is clear, unlike HB 2238.''
Democrats supporting the bill cite the threat posed by gun violence, which remains a persistent threat to the health and safety of people across the state, according to the proposed bill. . The bill states that one person dies from a gun every 14 hours and that nearly half of all suicides are caused by guns.
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Revenue from the proposed tax would be used to fund suicide prevention programs and programs to reduce firearm-related domestic violence.
FOX News Digital reached out to the Washington State Democratic Party.
