Washington, April 26 (IANS) Jay Inslee, the governor of the state of Washington, has approved legislation that bans a large number of semiautomatic weapons.
The bill outlaws the sale, transfer, distribution, production, and importation of 62 firearm models
AR-15, AK-47, and other potent rifles that have been used in recent mass shootings throughout the US, according to the Xinhua news agency.
At the signing ceremony on Tuesday, Inslee declared, "These weapons of war, these assault weapons, have no reason other than mass murder."
Inslee also signed into law two other major gun measures, including a 10-day waiting period for gun purchases and a bill that would hold gunmakers liable for negligent sales.
The signing event was held in the state capitol, which due to security reasons was closed to the general public on Tuesday morning.
According to the Giffords Law Centre, Washington joins nine other states that have enacted restrictions on AR-15s and related firearms, including California, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey as well as the District of Columbia.