Update on Pending Anti-Gun Legislation <BR>in California (AB334, AB1471, AB821, AB1634)

The California Legislature is currently considering several anti-gun and anti-hunting bills that will have dire consequences for your rights.  On Tuesday, May 29, two bills, Assembly Bill 334 and Assembly Bill 1471, aimed at stripping away our Second Amendment rights passed the Assembly and now are on their way to the Senate for its consideration.

Passed by a vote of 41 to 32, AB334, would make it a crime, for any person whose handgun is stolen or irretrievably lost, not to report the theft or loss to a local law enforcement agency within 5 working days after his or her discovery of the theft or loss; or within 5 working days after the date he or she should have reasonably known of the theft or loss.  AB334 would also let local governments enact reporting requirements that are more strict than those specified in the bill.

AB1471 passed by a vote of 44 to 29.  This legislation would require that after a certain date, the make, model, and serial number be microstamped onto the interior surface or internal working parts of all handguns in such a manner that those identifiers are imprinted onto the cartridge case upon firing.  Under AB1471, the manufacture, sale, and transfer of handguns that do not include their identifying information would be a crime.

In addition, the Senate may soon also consider Assembly Bill 821 which passed the Assembly earlier this month.  AB 821 would ban the use of lead ammunition for hunting in various hunting zones around the state that incorporate California condor range.  A lead ammunition ban will greatly affect our hunting heritage in California.

Please contact your State Senator today and respectfully urge him or her to OPPOSE AB334, AB1471, and AB821.  Contact information for your Senator can be found by clicking here.

In the Assembly, Assembly Bill 1634 is still pending action on the Assembly floor.  This measure requires every dog older than four months to be spayed or neutered.  Owners hoping to be able to breed their dogs at some point during their lives would be required to apply annually to their local government for an "intact" permit.  Except under very limited circumstances, the local government official has the power to deny issuance of an intact permit without cause.  The cost of the annual permit is unspecified in the legislation and is to be determined by the local government.  Penalty for non-compliance is a $500 fine imposed by the state and any additional fines imposed by the local government.

This legislation threatens to keep hunters from making decisions based upon their own personal circumstances.  It will prevent hunters from continuing the tradition of occasionally breeding their favorite dog in order to provide other hunters with good dogs and defray some of the costs associated with caring for their animals.  From a financial perspective, the bill discriminates against hunters with limited budgets. 

It is critical that you contact your State Assembly Member and ask that he or she oppose this overreaching and discriminatory legislation.  Please ask them to vote "no" on AB1634.  Contact information for your Assembly Member can be found by visiting http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset7text.htm.