Democrats in Washington state are seeking to tax citizens for the “privilege” of using ammunition in a move conservatives are blasting as the Left’s latest attack on the Second Amendment.
Citing a purported persistent health and safety threat posed by gun violence in Washington, a band of Democrats in the Evergreen State referred House Bill 2238 to the state legislature’s committee on finance on Tuesday.
If passed, the legislation would impose a use and sales tax on ammunition throughout the state, according to the bill text.
“‘Ammunition’ means any projectiles with their fuses, propelling charges, or primers designed to be fired from firearms,” the bill text reads. “‘Ammunition’ includes any shotgun shell and any rifle, pistol, or revolver cartridge.”
Under the legislation, a tax would be levied on every retail sale of ammunition in addition to the current federal, state, and local sales and use taxes already imposed on the sale of goods and services, according to the legislation.
“A use tax is levied on every person in this state for the privilege of using ammunition as a consumer at the rate of 11 percent of the selling price,” House Bill 2238 reads.
“The tax imposed under this section does not apply to sales to state, local, or tribal governments for the purposes of supplying law enforcement agencies.”
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Earnings collected as a result of the legislation would be put toward funding programs to stymie the aforementioned and alleged threat of gun violence in the Democratic-controlled state.
“The revenue from this will go to programs that aim to prevent suicide and to reduce firearm-related domestic violence,” the legislation reads.
