Update on Four Very Dangerous California Anti-Gun Bills!

Four bills that pose a very serious threat to our Second Amendment rights are in various stages of the legislative process.

Earlier this week, Assembly Bill 1634 was moved out of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  It now heads to the Senate floor where it could be considered any day.

AB1634 is being pushed by radical animal “rights” and anti-hunting organizations and is an affront to our hunting heritage and private property rights.  This bill, in its amended form, would dramatically increase the fines imposed against dog owners when “intact” dogs are impounded by animal control officials.  A third impoundment in a dog’s lifetime would result in a mandatory spay or neuter order with the cost of the procedure to be covered by the owner.

More troubling is a provision that authorizes animal control officials to impose fines and mandatory spay and neuter orders when dogs are subject to citizen complaints.  There is no requirement that complaints be substantiated by animal control officials.  By ignoring basic principles of due process, this system will be open to abuse by disgruntled neighbors and animal “rights” zealots who crusade against pet reproduction.

This bill threatens the ability of sportsmen to occasionally breed their hunting dogs in order to cover costs of care and to provide hunting partners with a proven line of puppies.  All Californians should be offended by the idea that the government can order a person’s dog to be spayed or neutered, especially based upon unsubstantiated complaints from the public.

Assembly Bill 2948, which would ban the sale of firearms and ammunition on the property or inside the buildings that comprise the Cow Palace, was placed in the suspense file.  This bill could return at any moment, so it is imperative that California’s gun owners and sportsmen remain vigilant. 

Assembly Bill 2235 is still pending action in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  This bill would prohibit the sale of handguns other than "owner-authorized (or “smart”) handguns"-- that is, handguns with a permanent, programmable biometric feature that renders the firearm useless unless activated by the authorized user.   No proven, viable handgun of this type has ever been developed.  Introduced by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier (D-11), AB2235 would require the Attorney General to report to the Governor and Legislature on the availability of owner-authorized handguns.  Once the Attorney General finds that these guns are available, only “owner-authorized” handguns could be approved for sale in California.  

Finally, Assembly Bill 2062 was placed in the suspense file.  As with AB2948, we must stay alert as it could be brought to life at any moment.

AB2062 would make it a crime to privately transfer more than 50 rounds of ammunition per month, even between family and friends, unless you are registered as a “handgun ammunition vendor” in the Department of Justice’s database.  Ammunition retailers would have to be licensed and store ammunition in such a manner that it would be inaccessible to purchasers.  The bill would also require vendors to keep a record of the transaction including the ammunition buyer’s name, driver’s license, the quantity, caliber, type of ammunition purchased, and right thumbprint, which would be submitted to the Department of Justice.  All ammunition sales in the state of California would be subject to a $3 per transaction tax.  Lastly, mail order ammunition sales would be prohibited.  Any violator of AB2062 would be subject to civil fines.

Please contact your State Senator and respectfully urge him or her to oppose AB1634.  Also, don’t forget to contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose AB2235.  Contact information for your State Senator can be found here.  Contact information for the Senate Appropriations Committee is below.