Legislative SOS – Transparency Be Damned | 6/25/20
GOC LEGISLATIVE SOS
Not content to pursue an expansion of gun control in the more traditional sense where a bill would go through a series of public hearings, the Legislature is using the Governor’s budget to circumvent transparency as a means to do some 2nd Amendment damage.
WHAT’S GOING ON:
Inserted in the 93 pages of the Assembly’s 2020 Budget Public Safety “trailer bill” (AB 88) is language that significantly expands the definition of assault weapons to include firearms that are not rifles, shotguns or handguns (typically including firearms that do not have a shoulder stock). The bill also mandates a new statewide electronic system for the sale of firearm precursor parts that is similar to both the Dealer Record of Sales and the ammunition purchase approval systems. That means the DOJ has the authority to define what constitutes a firearm precursor part. The bill also limits the purchases of precursor parts to one every 30 days and accelerates the date of implementation from 2024 to July 1, 2022.
GOC is strongly opposed to AB 88 and the Senate’s companion measure (SB 118).
Mandating that the Department of Justice launch yet another data collection system when they haven’t been able to efficiently operate the existing Dealer Record of Sale and ammunition registration systems is madness. There are innumerable recorded cases of persistent and erroneous denials of lawful citizens being able to purchase firearms and ammunition (e-mail your horror story to goc@gunownersca.com).
WHY THIS IS AN END RUN:
Putting such language into a trailer bill (the tool that implements specific changes to the law in order to enact the State Budget) is a giant middle finger to California’s citizens because it makes it extremely difficult for anyone to express opposition. COVID-19 restricts in person testimony and last night, over 1,000 callers flooded the phone lines – and most were told by a recording to hang up. It’s clear to GOC that the Legislature is using the coronavirus and the budget to bypass public testimony.
We know both bills will soon be on the Governor’s desk, and regardless of the obstacles that have been placed in our way, we will never stop MAKING NOISE as we represent the 2nd Amendment community.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
With the loss of our fundraising banquets, we need your help, MORE THAN EVER!
DONATE TODAY TO HELP US DEFEND YOU RIGHTS AT THE CAPITOL, AND IN THE COURTS!