California

Gov. Brown Signs Six Gun-Control Measures Into Law, Vetoes Five

A Bay Area gun store owner called the governor's action a "joke."

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed six stringent gun-control measures Friday and vetoed five others.

The new bills were introduced after 14 people were killed and 22 were injured in a terror attack in San Bernardino in December. Brown’s move, however, angered Bay Area gun owners, who are already threatening to sue.

Joe Costello, who owns a Willow Glen gun store, said he spent the day fielding questions on the phone and in person about the new gun laws.

He described the new laws as "bull packy," adding, "It's a joke." 

Costello said, over the years, new laws have been costing him business. And frankly, he doesn’t think they’ll make much difference.

"My honest reaction, it’s a political move," said Costello, who has been selling guns since 1956. "It will not help stop terrorism, help stop crime."

One of Costello's customers, Mike Herrmann, was OK with the new gun-control laws.

"One of these days they're gong to say, 'You gotta give your guns up,'" said Hermann, who is a hunter. "I'm getting old. My kid will have to deal with that, not me."

Meanwhile, business was booming at Peninsula gun shops like Jackson Arms and Coyote Point Armory. 

"I did buy more than I should have," said one shopper, who also doesn't believe the new laws will curb gun violence, but understands the need to tighten rules. "If it helps people sleep at night, fine."

In a statement, Brown said his intent was to enhance public safety by tightening existing laws, while at the same time protecting the rights of law abiding gun owners.

Brown signed the following six bills:

  • Outlaw assault rifles with a feature, known as a bullet button, that circumvents California's assault weapon ban by allowing shooters to use a small tool to quickly change magazines. (SB880 and AB1135)
  • Mandate background checks when a gun is loaned to someone other than a close relative of the owner. (AB1511)
  • Boost penalties for filing false reports of stolen guns, a measure targeting straw purchasers who buy weapons on behalf of people prohibited from doing so. (AB1695)
  • Create regulations for ammunition, including requirements that ammo sellers get a license, purchases be screened and transactions be recorded. (SB1235)
  • Ban possession of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds, requiring people who already own them to turn them in to authorities. (SB1446)

He vetoed five others:  

  • Designate unfinished gun parts as firearms subject to the same registration, background check and possession laws. Brown said the wording was "unduly vague" and could have unintended consequences. (AB1673)
  • Expand the types of people who can seek gun-violence restraining orders under a six-month-old program that allows courts to temporarily revoke gun ownership rights of people suspected to be dangerous to themselves or others. Brown said it's premature to expand the program. (AB2607)
  • Require gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms to authorities within five days. Brown said he doesn't believe the bill would spur "irresponsible people" to report missing weapons. (SB894)
  • Restrict all firearm purchases to one per month, a limitation that currently applies only to handguns. Brown said the measure would burden lawful gun owners trying to sell weapons they don't need. (AB1674)
  • Ask voters to stiffen penalties for stealing guns, which were inadvertently reduced when voters approved Proposition 47 that raised the threshold for a theft to be considered a felony. Brown said voters will already decide this issue as part of a broad gun-control ballot measure promoted by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. (AB1176)
Copyright AP - Associated Press
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