The Armed Citizen - Owner Authorized Handguns

The Armed Citizen web site had an article about owner authorized handguns are the new gun control frontier.  Actually, this are not new, and here are the comments I posted in reply:

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This is nothing new. Anti-gun rights politicians are trying to jam SB 293 through the California legislature again, a bill which would add the owner authorized requirement to the "safe handgun roster" requirements. To all of you in free states, what the "safe handgun roster" does is define the features required by handguns to be eligible for sale in the state of CA. These requirements make California a market where many new handguns are ineligible for sale to regular people. Law enforcement officers are exempt from the "safe handgun" requirements.

This is a concept that anti-gun people regularly return to, because they think that it will solve a lot of gun control problems. First, stolen guns cannot be used by criminals because the guns are paired with an owner. Second, children cannot accidentally shot themselves or others. Third, the anti-gun people think that this technology can never be defeated.

All three of these assumptions are wrong, as this study shows:

http://books.nap.edu/previewwidget.php?ecord_id=10828&ob=1

But there are some real problems with this concept, the greatest problem is that guns with this technology have a real product liability risk. What if a gun should fire, but does not? What is a gun should not fire. but does? It is very telling that many law enforcement agencies have already indicated that they will not use owner authorized handguns: office safety would be compromised.

That should tell gun owners all they need to know about owner authorized handgun technology.

2013 CA Legislature Gun Bill List - CRPA

The California Rifle And Pistol Association has published a comprehensive list of gun-related legislation currently under consideration.  Please review and contact you representative to make your support or opposition known.

Among the worst bills are SB  374, which would classify any semi-automatic rifle with a removable magazine, and those with fixed magazines with capacities greater than 10 rounds of ammunition as assault weapons. Existing weapons would have to be registered by July 1, 2014, and further sales of such weapons would be prohibited in the state of California.  Citizens moving into the state would be prohibited from importing their legally owned rifles into the state.

This is a semi-automatic rifle ban.  It would ban, for example, the Ruger 10/22 and the Ruger Mini-14, neither of which were considered assault weapons anywhere else, as far as I know.

SB 374 would instantly wind up in court if it passes, but please oppose this bill!

Bloomberg: NRA is Not the Entire Reason Why Gun Control Fails

Read the article, which is pretty good analysis, here.  It expresses a sentiment that I have long shared: the NRA may be the public standard bearer against gun control, it is not the only force in America with which anti-rights activists must contend.  It may not even be the most powerful:

3. Americans really dig their guns. This is a bitter pill for many blue-state liberals. But big swaths of the country are deeply enmeshed in the gun culture. Not crime culture, gun culture. 

Anti-rights people repeatedly try to convince people that gun ownership is declining, usually citing the General Social Survey.  That does not explain nearly five years of crazy gun buying by the public.

2013 California Firearms Legislation

The California legislature, in response to the Sandy Hook School shootings, even though passing laws in response to a tragic event in Connecticut does not make much sense, has put forward a variety of new firearms bills.  After all, they "must do something" to protect the children, even though California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. 

This post lists the bills and my comments on them.  I will update this post as the session progresses 

2013 CA SB 47 - Yee, Firearms: assault weapons

Summary

This bill re-defines assault weapons to include semi-automatic rifles equipped with bullet buttons, and to require their registration with the state.  After the registration period, further sales of these rifles would be prohibited since they would now be assault weapons under CA law.  

My Comments

This bill is a semiautomatic rifle sales ban.  Closing so-called loopholes that alarm that ignorant tool Leland Yee.

2013 CA AB 48 - Skinner/Ammiano, Firearms: ammunition: sales

Summary

Disassembled magazines that can be restored to function and hole more than 10 rounds will be illegal to import, possess, sell, lend, or transfer.  Any entity selling ammunition must first obtain a license to sell ammunition from the state.  Ammunition purchases are to be recorded in a new California Ammunition Database.  Ammunition dealers must check each person against the California Ammunition Database for eligility to receive ammunition. Each purchase record will be checked against the Prohibited Persons File, and if a match is made, the information will be forwarded to local law enforcement .

My Comments

This one is bad.  Now they do not want you even having parts to make a larger than 10 round magazine, and they are regulating ammunition as well.  I wonder how all the ammunition regulations will work out if ALL of the pass?

2013 CA SB 53 - DeLeon/Yee, Ammunition: purchase permits

Summary

This bill establishes licenses for vendors to sell ammunition, and permits required for individuals to purchase ammunition.  Records of ammunition purchases will be kept, and checked against the Prohibited Persons File.


My Comments

This is another bill that will end up doing very little while irritating law abiding shooters.  It will also inspire an enormous black market for ammunition, both by criminals, and by law abiding citizens who do not wish to pay the extra regulatory costs.  Criminals will still get their ammo, massive amounts of mostly useless data will be compiled, and the broke state of California will spend a lot of money to very little effect.

2013 CA SB 108 - Yee, Firearms: residential storage

Summary

This bill requires gun owners to secure their firearms whenever the owner is not within the residence, and defines violation of this law as an infraction or as a misdemeanor for subsequent violations.

My Comments

More nanny-state bullshit from Senator Yee.

2013 CA SB 127 - Gains, Firearms: mentally disordered persons

Summary

Requires psychotherapists to report (electronically) people who threaten violence to local law enforcement within 24 hours, and for local law enforcement to report to the Department of Justice within 24 hours.

2013 CA AB 169 - Dickinson, Unsafe Handguns

Summary

Exemption of unsafe handguns laws for C&R handguns is eliminated. Single shot exemption for semi-automatic pistols is eliminated. Eliminates sales from exempted persons (LEO) to non-exempted persons.

My Comments

The gun grabbers are pissed that there are a few holes in Californias farcical "safe handgun list", and this is an attempt to close them.  Interestingly, it closes a loophole that benefits LEOs.  See, guys, they will eventually come after you too.

2013 CA AB 170 - Bradford, Assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles

Summary

Defines a "person" as an individual for the purpose of owning assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles.  This means that ownership by corporations, LLC,  associations, groups or other entities is eliminated. 

2013 CA AB 180 - Bonta, Registration and licensing of firearms: exclusive regulation by the Legislature

Summary


This bill explicitly exempts the City of Oakland from the California firearms preemption law which reserves to the California legislature the exclusive power to enact laws regulating firearms.  The City of Oakland would be able to enact city ordinances more restrictive than California law. 

My Comments

This bill MUST BE STOPPED.  Sure, the gun laws in this state suck, but they are at least uniform across the state (certain city ordinances excepted).  Allowing this exception will open the floodgates: who can deny that Los Angeles and San Francisco will not clamor for the same exemption to the state preemption law?  And left free to do so, they would pass weapon and ammunition bans.

This bill is the way California becomes Illinois, and Los Angeles becomes Chicago.

2013 CA AB 187 - Bonta, Taxation: ammunition: Public Safety Emergency Prevention Fund

Summary

This bill creates the Public Safety Emergency Prevention Fund.  This bill would also create a tax on ammunition purchases of 10% of gross sales, receipts of which would be deposited in the Fund, and allocated to fund public safety programs in high crime areas.

My Comments

Great! A new sin tax. This is a really good incentive to start an underground market for ammunition.  A lot of people will simply route this by obtaining their ammunition elsewhere.

2013 CA AB 202 - Donally, Schools Safety: School Marshall Plan

Summary

This bill authorizes schools to use general purpose funds to train a school employee to be armed, in accordance to PC 626.9, on school property and at school events.  This bill would also exclude from public disclosure the application for a license, or the license itself of a school marshall.

My Comments

I am frankly surprised that this bill even exists.  Arming school personnel is the only thing, IMHO, that can possibly have a positive effect on school security during an active shooter incident.  This is a true "common sense" gun law.

So it will probably die in committee.

Update - Yep! It died in committee.  This state will NEVER allow armed people in public schools, no matter how many times teachers in other states stop active shooters.  After all, GUNS = VIOLENCE, and we can't have guns in schools.

2012 CA SB 140 - Leno, Firearms: prohibited persons

Summary

This bill diverts $24,000,000 from the Dealers Record Of Sale Special Account to fund activities aimed at eliminating the backlog of cases in the Armed Prohibited Persons System.  

My Comments

The Armed Prohibited Persons System is intended to ensure that armed prohibited persons have legally disposed of their firearms, or to confiscate them if necessary.  California is the only state, IMHO, that has such a program, and I have no problem with it.  It is an example of enforcing the laws on the books.

The problem I have with this is that DROS funds are one of the few in California that are running a surplus.  Imagine, a state fund running a surplus!  That in turn means that DROS fees are too high,, and should be reduced, and the monies refunded.  Instead they are being diverted.

This one has already passed in the Assembly and is in the Senate.

The Futility of Gun Control

Larry Correia wrote one of the best essays on the futility of gun control that I have ever read.  I am surprised that it has taken me this long to find it.  Outstanding.

51st Armed Citizen Report Listed

I just added the 51st report of an armed citizen with a concealed carry permit successfully defending themselves with a firearm.  The incident was reported in Fort Worth TX, April 16, 2013.

Read all of the incidents at my Armed Citizen Self Defense page.

San Jose Mercury News on Gun Bills in Sacramento

This article appeared in the San Jose Mercury News today. It discusses if the recent Senate gun control loss will have an effect on the several gun control bills pending in Sacramento.

It is my belief that the recent Senate vote will only encourage state gun control advocates to push even harder to make up for the failure to enact "common sense" gun control at the Federal level.  The only silver lining I see is reluctance about the ammunition tax.  My own representative, Jim Beall is mentioned in the article:

"Already some California Democrats are conspicuously mum. For example, of eight lawmakers -- five assemblymen and three state senators -- who scored above zero on the National Rifle Association's 2012 score card, only one would talk to this newspaper last month about proposals to regulate and tax ammunition. And that one, state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, said he wasn't too hot on the ideas."

I fear, though, that all of the bills will pass, and it will all be hashed out in the courts.

The Elephant in the Room is Recognized - For Once

Gun control advocates constantly whine about that nasty NRA, and how, if it were not for the NRA, we could all live in a gun-free, which, therefore, would  be violence-free, utopia.  The NRA only exists, the gun controllers insist, because the gun industry supports them with cash.

Well one reporter finally realized that the NRA is a membership organization, more than most other lobbying groups, and that advantage in membership, nearly 5 million strong, is what gives the NRA its edge. 

Adam Winker wrote in another article that gun control advocates stirred up the mistrust of gun owners:

Focusing on assault weapons played right into the hands of the NRA, which has for years been saying that Obama wanted to ban guns. Gun control advocates ridiculed that idea—then proposed to ban the most popular rifle in America.

To gun control advocates who may be reading this post: make no mistake about it. We absolutely do not trust you to deal wither honestly or fairly on this issue.  The contents of the Schumer background check bill confirms that your intent is to slowly eliminate legally owned firearms, and that was an loud wake-up call to gun owners everywhere.

Yes, the NRA has a lot of money to throw around. Both members and gun manufacturers contribute millions. I myself contributed money for the first time in my life to the NRA-ILA to help fight these bills. But Mayor Bloomberg spent even more pushing gun control in this Congress, and has got precious little to show for it.  

This victory belongs to the NRA, which, like the militia, is composed of people, the membership of the NRA.

The Brady Campaign PAC is Broke

I continue to be amazed that anyone takes the Brady Campaign seriously.  Bitter at Shall Not Be Questioned posts some hilariously satisfying data on the amount of money raised and on hand as reported by the Brady Campaign PAC.  They raised nothing in 2012, and had a whopping $2578 on hand at the end of 2012.

Heck of a war chest ya got there.

Meanwhile, liberal gun control fanatics wonder why the pro-rights people won on the S. 649 this week.  Bottom line: not enough people care about "common sense" gun laws to give a few bucks to the Brady Campaign.  Is perhaps because these "common sense" gun laws are simply unpopular?

How can that be?!

Nancy Pelosi Plays To Her Base

This article on Politico at first seemed to show Nancy Pelosi thinks we are all stupid, but I realized after reading the following, that she is only playing to her base:

Pelosi said voters should now focus their efforts on the House version of the Toomey-Manchin amendment introduced by Reps. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.). The bill calls for expanding checks for commercial gun purchases, including those made at gun shows.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/nancy-pelosi-gun-control-not-over-90278.html#ixzz2QqSNcctD

Come on Nancy! You are the Minority leader, not the Speaker, so how likely is it that your bill will pass the in the House? And if it does, it must go to the Senate for passge there, the same Senate that failed to pass background checks yesterday, and that today had the entire gun control bill (S. 649) pulled from the floor by Harry Reid.

Gun control is dead in this Congress, unless there is another mass shooting.  In which case, the usual suspects will jump up on a soap box filled with dead bodies to shout and bully for more laws that erode the 2nd Amendment.

Anti-Gun Narrative is Not Convincing The Public

It is an important part of the anti-gun narrative is the meme that guns in the home do not make you safer.  The Brady Campaign constantly emphasizes this in their "gun safety" campaign.  But there is evidence indicating that Americans are not buying the notion that guns are not the answer to home security.

A recent poll,commissioned by the Washington Post, posed the question

"Do you think having a gun in the house makes it a safer place to be or a more dangerous place to be?"

The results to that question show that 51% of respondents think guns make the home a safer place, 29% of respondents think guns make the home more dangerous place, and 16% think that "it depends".  More surprising is that the trend is for an increasing number of people think that guns make the home safer. The anti-gun advocates are not making their case.

This, and other evidence, such as the increasing numbers of gun sales and increasing numbers of concealed carry permits, and the increasing numbers of women gun owners are indicative of a cultural change in this country, a shift that is in favor of gun rights, including the right to bear  arms in public.

When you read about and watch gun control advocates tearing their hair and gnashing their teeth bout how the NRA derailed gun control in the Senate, reflect on where the power that the NRA comes from: their 4 million plus members, and more indirectly, the many millions of non-member gun owners.

Ammunition Tax Bill in Suspense

The Los Angeles Times has the good news: the bill in the California state legislature has been placed in the "suspense file".  This means that it will not be brought to the floor for a vote.  But this does not mean that the bill is dead.  It is not unknown for bills in suspense to be pulled out and voted upon.

Good news, but we are not out of the woods yet.