SPOKANE, Wash. — Monday is the last day of the bump stock buyback program through the Washington State Patrol.
The devices, which can be modified to make semi-automatic weapons function like fully automatic weapons, will be illegal nationwide starting Tuesday, March 26. Washington state law is set to ban them in July.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee approved a $150 buyback program, which only includes manufactured bump stocks and not homemade devices.
The federal government banned the devices in 2018 and the state created the buyback program at the same time. The state legislature then gave $150,000 to the buyback program, which would cover 1,000 units at $150 per device, according to WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis.
Each person who brings in a bump stock receives a voucher for $150. WSP then mails individuals a check for $150 for each bump stock they turn in once the voucher is processed. Checks will not be issued the day a person turns in their bump stock.
Officials said there is a limit of five bump stocks per individual and all vouchers will be issued on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the $150,000 appropriated to the buybacks has been distributed, no more funds will be available.
Those who bring in bump stocks will need a Washington ID in order to receive a voucher.
Spokane County gun owners sold 74 bump stocks to Washington State Patrol during a buyback event on Sunday, March 17 and Monday, March 18, according to Loftis.
Loftis said Washington state residents sold 291 bump stocks on March 17 and another 229 during the event on March 14 for a total of 520. Seventy-four of those bump stocks came from District 4, which includes Spokane, Colfax, Ritzville and Colville.
Here’s a list of locations and dates:
March 24-25, 2019
District 1 – Tacoma – 2502 112th Street East
District 2 – South Seattle – 15666 International Blvd (detachment office)
District 3 – Yakima – 2715 Rudkin Road
District 4 – Spokane – 6403 W Rowand Rd
District 5 – Vancouver – 11018 NE 51st Circle
District 6 – Ellensburg - 291 S Thorp Hwy
District 7 – Marysville – 2700 116th Street NE
District 8 – Bremerton – 4811 Werner Road
For more information, click here.