Sunday, April 21, 2013

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.

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