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California Dems' Gun-Control Proposal Is Strictest In Nation

This is how its done.

* All semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines: banned
* All guns registered
* No ammunition purchased without a special permit

California state Senate Democrats on Thursday unveiled a series of proposals that would possibly be the strictest gun-control measures in the country.

With Democratic super-majority in both the State Assembly and the State Senate, and with a Democratic governor, these could pass into law.

Yes, of course, there will be ferocious opposition, and there might easily be some Democratic defections.

I'm sure the howling is beginning right now.

San Jose Mercury News:

The 10-bill package constitutes the single largest gun control push in decades in the Golden State, which already boasts some of the nation's strictest gun laws. It joins equally controversial proposals from Assembly Democrats that would regulate and tax ammunition sales and consider taking the state's 166,000 registered assault weapons from their owners.

State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento unveiled the package in a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol, flanked by Public Safety Committee Chairwoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee; and police chiefs Chris Magnus of Richmond, Ken James of Emeryville and Sylvia Moir of El Cerrito.

A story in the Sacramento Bee notes:

Gun advocates were quick to criticize the proposals. Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, said the measures described Thursday would have "zero impact" on gun violence. He said lawmakers should put a greater focus on funding the courts and law enforcement instead of targeting weapons that are purchased legally and used by many for self defense.

"We have a criminal and a system problem, we don't have a gun problem in this state," he said. "As long as legislators concentrate on gun control, we will continue to have mass shootings and the legislators will have blood on their hands."

However, notes SFGate:

Lawmakers said they believe the public has given them a mandate for action.

"In general, I think due to the recent tragedies that have happened, I think that has emboldened members to put forth bills," said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, who is chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

And they have law-enforcement officials pushing them forward, too. Emeryville Police Chief Ken James called the proposals "reasonable" and said they would benefit police officers.

When officers encounter guns, he said, "that is a high-stress, high-intensity situation for us. It takes it out of us. It scares us."

Other items being proposed, according to the Mercury News:

* Require anyone wishing to buy ammunition to first get a permit by passing a background check, as Los Angeles and Sacramento already do.

* Update the definition of a banned shotgun with a revolving cylinder to include the new technology of a shotgun-rifle combination.

* Prevent unregulated gun loans, with some exceptions, including hunting, in order to keep weapons from those who haven't passed background checks.

* Require all handgun owners obtain a safety certificate every year, rather than the every-five-years requirement for purchases of new handguns.

* Prohibit anyone barred from owning a weapon from living in a home where weapons are kept and to expand the list of crimes for which convictions result in being barred from gun possession.

* Let the state Justice Department use money from the state's Dealer's Record of Sale system to eliminate the backlog of people identified as no longer allowed to own guns but not yet investigated and contacted by law enforcement.

There is a lot to chew on here, and I'm sure that not all of these will be signed into law.

But, if California can pass laws like this, you can bet other states, and the federal government, will be watching very closely indeed.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/08/1185675/-California-Dems-Gun-Control-Proposal-Is-Strictest-In-Nation