Saturday, May 4, 2013

Contrasting Two States: CA and TX

In Texas today, 12 pro-gun bills made it through the Legislature.  Most are simple and make sense.

See here:  12 Texas Pro-gun Bills

In California next week, a slew of anti-gun bills that are not simple to understand and make little sense in terms of the 2nd Amendment or even common sense will be discussed in committees or the Assembly or Senate.  And of course no criminal will be affected.  See below the letter I wrote to my representatives:

Dear Sirs,

I implore you to OPPOSE the bills listed below. NONE of them will increase safety or reduce criminal activity. ALL of them will destroy more of the inalienable rights held by law-abiding citizens, the protection of which is your sworn duty.

On the Senate floor as early as Monday, May 6:

Senate Bill 108 (Yee) requires mandatory locked storage of firearms within a locked house regardless of whether anyone is present.

Senate Bill 299 (DeSaulnier) turns victims of firearm theft into criminals for failing to report the loss of their firearm within 48 hours.

Senate Bill 475 (Leno) requires the prior approval of the board of supervisors of both the County of San Mateo and the City and County of San Francisco to allow a gun show at the Cow Palace. This bill would allow the local anti-gun politicians to BAN the gun show.

On the Assembly floor as early as Monday, May 6:

Assembly Bill 169 (Dickinson) BANS the sale of handguns not on the state-approved roster. This bill is so flawed that the provisions will BAN the sale of millions of old and used handguns CURRENTLY owned by Californians by dealers and PRIVATE PARTY transfers.

In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 6.

Senate Bill 47 (Yee) expands the definition of "assault weapons" to BAN the future sale of rifles that have been designed/sold and are equipped to use the "bullet button" or similar device, requires NEW "assault weapon" registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other "assault weapons" restrictions.

Senate Bill 53 (DeLeon) requires persons to buy an annual ammunition purchase permit, requires the registration and thumbprint of the purchaser for each ammunition purchase, and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to Californians.

Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) expands the definition of "assault weapons" to BAN the future transfer of all semi-auto rifles that accept detachable magazines (including those chambered for rimfire cartridges) and virtually all semi-auto rifles with fixed magazines (primarily those chambered for rimfire cartridges), requires NEW "assault weapon" registration, requires registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other "assault weapon" restrictions.

Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) BANS the POSSESSION of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than ten cartridges, including currently legally possessed "grandfathered large capacity" magazines.

Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) expands the definition of shotgun for "short-barreled shotguns" that are illegal to own. The current definition in the proposed law is so flawed it can include reclassify handguns shooting "Shot-shells" as shotguns.

Senate Bill 755 (Wolk) expands the list of persons prohibited from owning a firearm, including persons who have operated cars and boats while they are impaired commonly referred to as DUI.

In the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee on Monday, May 6:

Assembly Bill 187 (Bonta) imposes an addition ten percent sales tax on ammunition.

In the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, May 7.

Assembly Bill 180 (Bonta) repeals California's firearm preemption law by granting Oakland an exemption to enact unique laws regarding possession, registration, licensing and subjecting gun owners to unknowing criminal liability when travelling through Oakland.

In the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Wednesday, May 8:

Assembly Bill 711 (Rendon) BANS the use of all lead ammunition for hunting. For more information about AB 711, click here.

In addition, Governor Brown, I am extremely disappointed you have again ignored the will of the people and their Assembly by signing Senate Bill 140 into law. SB 140 steals from law-abiding gun owners by raiding $24 million from the Dealers' Record of Sale (DROS) Special Account to fund the Department of Justice's backlog in the Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS). The DROS Account is the collection of money from firearm purchasers that pays for the administrative process for background checks and registration. Unfortunately, with the DROS account having a surplus of funds, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) uses it like their own personal piggy bank and raids it whenever they feel like it.

The NRA initiated litigation last year on the Department of Justice continuing to charge excess DROS fees on EVERY firearms purchase and is in the discovery process for evidence. This fight over the continued misuse of DROS is NOT over and will continue in court.

Sincerely,
John MacDonald

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