California Democratic lawmakers unveil gun control legislation

[Playinghardball]

Source: Sacramento Bee

Flanked by police chiefs, big-city mayors and gun control advocates, a group of California Democratic legislators announced a series of proposals Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said would "once again make California's gun laws the very toughest in the nation."

Thursday's announcement was the latest gun control push from state lawmakers in the wake of December's mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. The massacre, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, has sparked calls for action across the country. Lawmakers in New York recently enacted measures making its laws the nation's strictest, a title previously held by California.

"We need to lead the way," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "New York has stepped up and stepped forward. California needs to answer the call."


The package of seven bills outlined at a Capitol press conference today includes measures to make it illegal to possess high-capacity magazines, ban the manufacture, sale, transfer and importation of rifles with detachable magazines and regulate ammunition purchases and require additional safety training for people who purchase new handguns. Lawmakers also called for increased funding and focus on enforcing existing laws, including ensuring that guns get out of the hands of people prohibited from possessing fire arms.



Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/02/california-legislators-unveil-new-gun-control-push.html

[msongs]

1. too bad they didnt unveil the single payer health plan first nt

[xxqqqzme]

15. That rally is on Tuesday

in Sacramento and LA.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. Where's the actual beef?

Or horsemeat, as the issue du jour suggests.

I'd like to read the text of the proposed laws, see how it's crafted.

[apocalypsehow]

3. Good for them - this is a good beginning. As the nation increasingly turns Blue,

new, sensible gun regulation will get passed and take effect nationwide. America is starting to grow up about guns, and that's a good thing.

Kick, Rec.

[derby378]

12. It's nothing more than a pissing match between California and New York

"My laws are tougher!" "Oh yeah? Mine are tougher now!" "Oh, yeah?" "Yeah!" "Oh, yeah? Well, watch this!"

The rest of the nation will just sit back and wait for the madness to end, and then we'll continue on without following either state into the haze.

And all will be well.

[apocalypsehow]

14. You keep telling yourself that, my friend. But Canadian/Western European-style gun regulation

is coming to the good 'ole USA, sooner or late - and probably sooner, thanks to the nation increasingly turning Blue.

And that's a good thing.

[Spryguy]

16. We're taking you guns

and their aint shit rethug assholes can do to stop it.

[SQUEE]

22. k

[Deep13]

4. CA is already unreasonably strict.

tough does not necessarily mean good.

[AtheistCrusader]

5. That's a good point.

The rest of the country is watching, closely.

CA already fucking botched the Assault Weapon registry so bad I can't get a word in edgewise around here in favor of registration, which is a prudent and helpful thing to combat straw purchases and other shenanigans.

I'm super grumpy about that because Registration CAN be made to work. Not my fault Cali screwed it up.

[slackmaster]

7. The state really pooched up registration when a sub-set of people who registered rifles,

...and received letters from the Department of Justice saying their rifles were registered, subsequently got letters saying they had to destroy or turn those rifles in. The latter could not be actually enforced, as in the words of a prominent lawyer who is now the city attorney for Los Angeles, the state would have a "significant evidenciary problem."

It was a giant cluster fuck, and people have not forgotten.

Bust a deal, face the Wheel.

[robinlynne]

10. when did this happen?

[slackmaster]

11. June 1999 was the date on the confiscation letters

Here is an image of one of the letters actually sent to an owner of one of the rifles in question earlier, saying the rifle could be registered.



The state was sued by Handgun Control, Inc. claiming that the registrations violated state law, but by that time there were a done deal. The state lost the case, and was basically forced by a judge to send confiscation letters to every person who had received a letter like the one above. The letter above would be a solid defense against prosecution for failing to dispose of the weapon, so basically nobody has done so.

Bust a deal, face the Wheel.

[slackmaster]

6. Government by Kabuki Theater

The laws we have in place here are more than strict enough, and so far-reaching that they are largely unenforceable.

Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds have been banned from manufacture, sale, and importation since 1/1/2000. Existing ones were grandfathered at the time - A provision that was part of a deal negotiated in order to get the bill passed, and supported by law enforcement.

[supercats]

8. Yea California!!!

I am a native Californian and the only way to make me happier would be if they banned ALL guns period! No pistols, the rifles, no shot guns nothing!!! If they did that, then a lot of the crazies would relocate and we would be even safer. There is NO REASON to own a gun.

[slackmaster]

9. Except, of course, for guns in the hands of government employees

[derby378]

13. Yep - California said goodbye to the Second Amendment a long time ago

Sooner or later, people over there will grow tired of the bullshit, and a more rational approach to gun laws will take root.

First off, I want to see how they expect to confiscate all of those magazines.

[Spryguy]

17. It's a slow process.

Start with required registration for all guns AND magazines and require owners to carry (exspensive) insurance. Then pass a gun ban, and send letters afvising owners to turn in their gun. Anyone who doesn't gets slapped wirh a felony charge and gets theor house searched.

[slackmaster]

18. Magazines don't have serial numbers

[Spryguy]

19. So add them.

[Macoy51]

20. How Effective Would The Letters be?

I wonder how many gun owners will say their gun was sold in a private sale or lost if confiscation letters ever go out?



Macoy

[Spryguy]

21. That's cool.

Pass a law, 10, 000 dollar fine for "failure to secure weapons". Ohhh, "lost" your murder machine? Fuck you, pay up or go to prison. You'd be surprised how many guns get "found" after that.

[EastKYLiberal]

23. You can't negotiate with gun humpers...

They are as crazy as those that cling to their Bible when same-sex marriage and abortion is discussed.