On March 20, 1989, Ashford proposed an amendment to a drug penalty bill that would ban semi-automatic weapons, but Speaker Bill Barrett ruled that his proposed amendment was not germane. Ashford proposed another amendment that would ban the sale and manufacture of semi-automatic weapons a Class II felony with a punishment of one to fifty years in prison. However, Barrett ruled that the amendment was not germane and an attempt by Ashford to overrule his decision was defeated by a vote of twenty-six to fourteen.