As Californians are well aware, gun control advocates are working several different angles to destroy law-abiding gun ownership. They have rewritten the definition of a firearm several times, gone after ammunition, given the California Department of Justice authority to decide what firearms are “safe” enough to enter the state, and now they are going after gun stores.
On March 8, Assembly Bill 2459, authored by NRA-PVF “F” rated Assembly Member Kevin McCarty, would work to close every gun store in the Golden State.
AB 2459 would make four serious changes to California’s dealer licensing requirements.
- A prohibition on licensee business premises being on a residential property.
- A clear statement that localities may impose more restrictive requirements on licensees than those imposed by state law.
- A requirement that licensees maintain full color video surveillance that is of sufficient quality to provide for facial recognition and records all firearm transactions on the premises, all locations where firearms and ammunition are stored, the immediate exterior of the licensed premises, and all parking facilities owned by the licensee. The video equipment would be required to run during all business hours and be set to begin recording when motion is detected at all other times. The licensee would have to certify to having compliant video equipment at least yearly and make any needed repairs to the equipment within 15 days of any damage. The footage would need to be stored on the premises for at least five years, but that could be extended if the footage may be part of a law enforcement investigation. Licensees would also be required to post a prominent sign indicating that customers are being recorded.
- All licensees would be required to have a liability policy of a minimum of $1M per incident to cover liability arising from "theft, sale, lease or transfer or offering for sale, lease or transfer of a firearm or ammunition, or any other operations of the business and business premises."
The cost of compiling with these unnecessary and ineffective changes would drive FFL’s out of business. Gun control advocates have made their agenda very clear – removal of firearm availability piece by piece, until it is completely gone in California.
AB 2459 will be heard in by the state Assembly Committee on Public Safety. A hearing date has not been scheduled yet. Please check your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates on when this critical bill will receive a hearing date.
Until then, please contact the members of the committee and urge them to OPPOSE AB 2459.