After years of trying, the Washington state House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that allows the State Patrol to destroy guns they confiscated during criminal investigations.

The measure gives the Patrol the option available to all other law-enforcement agencies in the state — to keep, trade, auction or destroy forfeited crime guns.

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Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, recalled testimony this week by women who used a gun to defend themselves.

“They indicated the gun is an equalizer,” she said. If a woman faces more than one attacker, and is only able to fire 10 bullets at a time, it could put her life at risk, she said.

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