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[gdlr_column size=”2/3″] California Hunters and Shooters Under Unprecedented Attack! By CDA Political Advisor -Bill Gaines
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CALIFORNIA ALREADY HAS THE STRICTEST GUN LAWS in the nation. Many of those who live, hunt and/or shoot in our state are regrettably hardened to our Second Amendment rights being kicked around at our State Capitol. But never has the hunting and shooting community been under siege like we are today. Using last year’s San Bernardino shooting as their springboard, California’s urban lawmakers have launched an unprecedented salvo of bills targeting our arms and munitions. But, it doesn’t stop there. With countless gun bills already brewing at our State Capitol, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom has now placed his highly aggressive “Safety for All Act” gun control initiative on the November 2016 statewide ballot. Making matters even worse, Newsom’s efforts outside the Capitol have ignited a duel with lawmakers inside the Capitol on who can pass the most gun control first.
Below is a glance at just some of the serious challenges currently confronting California’s hunting community: “Safety for All Act” Initiative – November 2016 State Ballot California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Safety for All Act” is easily the most aggressive single gun control package ever brought forward anywhere in our nation. Among many other things, this ballot initiative would:
• Ban all on-line and mail order sales ofammunition;
• Require those who purchase ammo to undergo a background check;
• Require tracking of what type/how much ammunition you buy;
• Ban possession of magazines which hold more than 10 rounds;
• Ban all private transfer of ammunition;
• Prohibit ammunition purchased out of state from being brought back into California;
• Prohibit ammunition purchased at a range from leaving the range.
To view the entire text of the “Safety for All Act”, visit http://safetyforall.com/fulltext.htm
While the “Safety for All Act” awaits its November fate, California lawmakers are racing to beat Newsom to the gun control punch. Below are just some of the record number of gun bills currently pending at our State Capitol:
With countless gun bills already brewing at our State Capitol, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsome has placed his highly aggressive “Safety for all Act” gun control initiative in the November 2016 on the November 2016 statewide ballot.
AB 156 –Ammunition Regulation AB 156 would require those who purchase ammunition to provide their name; date of birth; address; driver’s license number; and brand, type, amount and date of sale of ammunition purchased, and undergo an electronic background check. The bill would require ammunition vendors to obtain a vendor license and that Department of Justice (DOJ) establish a database on both vendors and buyers. AB 156 would also prohibit most internet and mail order purchase, and limit the sale or transfer of ammunition between hunting or shooting partners, and even family.
A “two-year” bill introduced in 2015 to deal with global warming, AB 156 passed through the Assembly last year. In early May 2016, the bill was gutted and amended to attack ammunition purchases. As newly amended, AB 156 quickly passed through the Senate and is now back in the Assembly for concurrence on the amendments in the Senate.
AB 1135 –Assault Weapons AB 1135 would reclassify some common semi-automatic hunting rifles as “assault weapons” by amending the definition to refer to a firearm that has one of several specified features, and “does not have a fixed magazine”. AB 1135 would expand the definition of “detachable magazine” to mean an ammunition feeding device that can be easily removed from the firearm without disassembly or use of a tool. The bill would exempt firearms legally possessed from 2001 through 2016, but require them to be registered. A “two-year” bill introduced in February 2015 to deal with agricultural products, AB 1135 passed through the Assembly last year. In early May 2016, the bill was gutted and amended to deal with assault weapons and quickly passed through the Senate. The bill is now back in the Assembly for concurrence of the amendments taken in the Senate.
AB 1511 – Firearms: Lending AB 1511 would require the loan of a firearm to anyone except a spouse, registered domestic partner, or immediate family be conducted through a licensed dealer. AB 1511 was introduced in May 2015 to deal with energy. In May 2016, with the bill already through the Senate, AB 1511 was gutted and amended to deal with the loaning of a firearm and quickly passed through the Senate. The bill is now back in the Assembly for concurrence of the Senate amendments, where it is scheduled to be heard on June 21st in Assembly Public Safety Committee.
AB 1664 –Assault Weapons AB 1664 would reclassify some common semi-automatic hunting rifles that can accept a detachable magazine as an “assault weapon”. The bill would expand the definition of “detachable magazine” to mean an ammunition feeding device that can be easily removed from the firearm without disassembly or use of a tool. AB 1664 would exempt firearms lawfully possessed from 2001 through 2016, but would require them to be registered. AB 1664 passed off the Assembly Floor and over to the Senate on June 1st. The bill will next be heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee in mid-June.
AB 1674 – Firearm Transfers AB 1674 would prohibit an individual from acquiring more than one shotgun or rifle within any 30-day period. AB 1674 passed off the Assembly Floor and over to the Senate in early June. The bill was heard on June 14th in Senate Public Safety Committee, passing out on a 5 to 2 party line vote. The bill will next be heard in Senate Appropriations Committee later this summer.
SB 880 –Assault Weapons SB 880 would redefine an “assault weapon” to include a semi-automatic center fire rifle, or pistol that has one of several specified features and “does not have a fixed magazine”. The bill would also redefine “fixed magazine” as “an ammunition feeding device contained in, or permanently attached to, the firearm in such a manner that the device cannot be removed without disassembly of the firearm action”. SB 880 would exempt those firearms lawfully possessed from 2001 through 2016, but require them to be registered. SB 880 passed off of the Senate Floor in mid May and over to the Assembly, where it was first heard on June 14th in Assembly Public Safety Committee, passing out on a 5 to 1 party line vote. The bill will next be heard in Assembly Appropriations Committee later this summer.
SB 1235 –Ammunition Regulation Similar to AB 156, SB 1235 would require those who purchase ammunition to provide extensive personal data prior to purchasing ammunition, undergo an electronic background check, and that the type and quantity of ammo they purchase be recorded. The bill would also require ammunition vendors to obtain a vendor license, and DOJ to establish databases on both vendors and purchasers. SB 1235 would also require ammunition to be purchased “face-to-face” with few exceptions, and limit the private sale or transfer of ammunition.
SB 1235 was originally introduced in February 2016 to deal with public employees’ retirements. In early May, SB 1235 was gutted and amended to deal with ammunition regulations and swiftly passed off the Senate Floor and over to the Assembly. The bill was heard on June 14th in Assembly Public Safety Committee, passing out on a 5 to 2 party line vote. The bill will next be heard in Assembly Appropriations Committee later this summer. The California Deer Association strongly urges it members to contact their Senator and Assembly Members to ask them to oppose these threats to our hunting and shooting traditions. Don’t know who your Senate and Assembly representatives are? You should! Find out by visiting http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
For more information on any of the above bills or any other legislation of concern, please contact Gaines & Associates.
BILL GAINES
Info@gainesandassociates.com