$1,000 tax on handguns pushed as 'role model' for U.S. states

(FOX 11 / FOX News) - A newly imposed $1,000 per pistol tax could serve as a "role model" for U.S. states, according to the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The U.S. territory imposed the controversial handgun tax earlier this month.

Gov. Ralph Torres said it is meant to improve the safety of law enforcement and the community.

"It's something that none of us want and we want to make it as strict as possible," Torres said in a statement.

The Torres administration suggested that the new law, the Special Act for Firearms Enforcement (SAFE), could be a "role model" for other U.S. states and jurisdictions.

A number of cities across the U.S., including Seattle, have already implemented new taxes and regulations on individual gun purchases.

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