California: Senate Committee Votes Expected on Firearm-Related Legislation Tomorrow

California: Senate Committee Votes Expected on Firearm-Related Legislation Tomorrow

Please contact members of the state Senate Public Safety Committee today!

The California legislature is ready to get to work on firearm-related issues for 2012.  Tomorrow, the state Senate Public Safety Committee is expected to vote on two pro-gun bills and one anti-gun bill.      

Pro-Gun Bills:

Senate Bill 313, a NRA/CRPA sponsored bill, would:

• exempt handguns produced before January 1, 2000, which production has not resumed, from the state “unsafe” testing requirement for handguns being sold or brought into California.  Commemorative and custom-made handguns, that are limited to 1,000 or fewer, are also exempted from this “unsafe” testing requirement.
• permit licensed firearms dealers to sell older, discontinued models of used handguns from their own inventories.  Currently, they can only sell such handguns on consignment for others.
• allow dealers to take used handguns in trade toward the purchase price of a new handgun.

Senate Bill 404 would:

• broaden certain exceptions to the requirement for a handgun safety certificate.  Currently honorably retired members of the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Air National Guard, the active reserve components of the United States are exempt from the handgun safety certificate.  SB 404 would broaden this exemption to include those who are honorably discharged from service. 
• require a licensed dealer who delivered a handgun to a purchaser exempt from the handgun safety certificate requirement to provide the purchaser with a manual on handgun safety developed by the California Department of Justice for use in the handgun safety certificate program. 
• exempt licensed dealers to post within the licensed premises an accurate list of the fees required for a handgun safety certificate.

Anti-Gun Bill:

Senate Joint Resolution 10, sponsored by anti-gun extremist Senator DeLeòn, would urge the President and Congress to pursue a comprehensive approach to stem the trafficking of illicit United States firearms into Mexico, that includes, among other things, enhanced collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies, the allocation of a permanent source of federal funding to sustain local and state law enforcement operations to combat firearms trafficking and other border-related crimes, the redirection of federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and United States Customs and Border Protection resources towards this effort, reenactment of a strong federal assault weapons ban, and stronger federal authority to crack down on corrupt gun dealers.

Please call AND e-mail members of the state Senate Public Safety Committee TODAY and urge him or her to SUPPORT SB 313 and SB 404 and OPPOSE SJR 10.  Contact information for members of this committee can be found by clicking on the names listed below:

Senator Loni Hancock (Chairman)
Senator Joel Anderson (Vice Chairman)
Senator Ron Calderon
Senator Tom Harman
Senator Carol Liu
Senator Curren Price
Senator Darrell Steinberg