RES 2016-17 LIMIT THE AVAILABILITY OF ASSAULT WEAPONSRESOLUTION NO. 2016-17
A RESOLUTION by the City Council of the City of Bainbridge
Island, Washington, calling upon state and federal elected officials
to strictly limit the availability and use of assault weapons, other
high-capacity ammunition magazine weapons, and high-capacity
ammunition magazines to duly authorized law enforcement and
military personnel, and to prohibit the ownership and use of such
weapons and ammunition by any other person.
WHEREAS, gun violence in the United States has been escalating for many years, with
devastating mass shootings occurring throughout the nation. Since 1982, there have been at least
82 public mass shootings across the country, with killings unfolding in 33 states from
Massachusetts to Hawaii. Forty-five of these mass shootings have occurred since 2006; and
WHEREAS, many of these mass shootings have involved the use of military grade, high
capacity magazine assault weapons, including the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in
Newtown, Connecticut; Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado; a church in Charleston,
Virginia; a retirement party at a social services agency in San Bernardino, California; and Pulse
Nightclub in Orlando, Florida; and
WHEREAS, these shootings have resulted in the tragic deaths and maiming of large
numbers of innocent people, and great pain and loss to their families, friends, and communities;
and
WHEREAS, military grade, high capacity magazine assault weapons have no valid role to
serve in civilian and community life, and the easy availability of these weapons has put our
gathering places and community lives in great and unnecessary peril; and
WHEREAS, there has been an explosion of gun sales in America, and it has come at a time
of a nationwide decline in mental health services, with billions of dollars in cuts from mental health
programs, and at also at a time of international and lone wolf domestic terrorism; and
WHEREAS, national surveys show that a large majority of the American public, including
legal gun owners, support background checks for gun ownership and limiting the availability and
use of military grade, high capacity assault weapons to duly authorized and highly trained military
and law enforcement personnel; and
WHEREAS, many courts throughout the nation have upheld such regulations; and
WHEREAS, Washington State law, RCW 9.41.290, preempts the entire field of firearm
regulation throughout the State, and prevents the City of Bainbridge Island and other cities from
enacting gun control laws and ordinances to protect their own communities; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, by Resolution 2013-3, the Bainbridge Island City Council supported
the enactment of a ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines, and of
legislation mandating background checks, but state and federal elected officials have failed to take
such action, and meanwhile many more lives have been shattered and lost throughout the country
by gun violence, and this remains a matter of the greatest urgency; now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE ISLAND DOES RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council strongly supports state and federal legislation that would place
a ban on assault weapons and other high-capacity ammunition magazine weapons, and on high-
capacity ammunition magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds at a time, by any person other
than duly authorized and highly trained police and military personnel.
Section 2. The City Council strongly supports requiring all gun buyers to pass a
background check, no matter how or where they purchase the weapon.
Section 3. The City Council authorizes and directs the City Manager to forward this
Resolution to the City's delegation to the Washington State Legislature.
Section 4. The City Council authorizes and directs the City Manager to forward this
Resolution to the City's delegation to the United States Congress.
PASSED by the City Council this 9th day of August, 2016.
APPROVED by the Mayor this 91h day of August, 2016.
Rosalind D. Lassoff, City Clerk
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
RESOLUTION NO.:
July 19, 2016
August 9, 2016
2016-17