CA - First Gun Control - Now Ammo Control

[FWiedner]

First Gun Control - Now Ammo Control

by Jennifer Freeman

The California State Assembly has just approved AB996. It will now go to the Senate.

This bill, dubbed "Safe Ammunition Storage Legislation" would require retailers to lock up their ammunition in the same manner that firearms are required to be locked up at California firearm retail locations. The Democratic Caucus claims "It is estimated that 8-10 billion bullets were sold in the United States in 2002. Many of those bullets were purchased by those who acquired their guns illegally using straw buyers, those who stole guns, and those who purchased on the secondary market." Of course we don't really know what constitutes "many" bullets. And they offer no direct proof that ammunition was purchased by those who "acquired their guns illegally."

The above statement clearly shows where the Democratic Caucus intends to go with this. Following their line of logic, later legislation will require identification and most likely either a thumbprint or iris scan prior to purchasing ammunition. In the anti-gun fantasy world, this information would be fed into a large database making it easy for government officials to know who has ammunition. In other words, it's the entry into backdoor gun registration. And it's not the first time the California legislature has tried to pull such a stunt.

In fact, California SB 357 (interesting title) would require that all ammunition come with a serial number, would impose a tax on each round of ammunition, and would require retailers and manufacturers to record all ammunition transactions. If such a bill were to become law, the administration and enforcement for both retailers and government would likely be impossible. This, of course, would be a bonus to anti-gunners who would likely shut down ammunition sales until retailers can demonstrate compliance and the government can demonstrate the ability to track and enforce. The whole thing would be an administrative nightmare, would do nothing to reduce crime, and would do nothing to help solve crime.

This, of course, makes no difference to anti-gun legislators. Nor, apparently, does it matter to California voters who appear to be living in an idealogical yester-year that has long since faded into the sunset.

http://www.libertybelles.org/articles/lockup%20ammo.htm

*FW Note:

Perception is everything.  If it has to be hidden, it must be bad.

That slippery slope is getting steeper all the time.

 :x

[Tim4Trout]

Update August 29

The NSSF's Bullet Points...

California Ammo Bill Suspended

SB 357 MAY BE TAKEN UP NEXT YEAR... California’s attorney general has suspended a proposal requiring manufacturers to stamp serial numbers on all handgun and rimfire ammunition sold in California. The delay, made at the request of California State Sen. Joe Dunn, creates time to resolve a heated debate over how much the manufacturing process would cost and who would pay for it, reports Copley News Service. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) and NSSF have led the charge to educate legislators about this misguided bill, which would cost firearms manufacturers hundreds of millions of dollars to completely redesign their production facilities and would amount to a de facto ban on ammunition in California. The bill, SB 357, had passed the state Senate and was pending in a General Assembly fiscal committee. In spite of the delay, Dunn predicts the measure will be reactivated and could be delivered to the governor next year. Californians are urged to take action to stop this ill-considered legislation. Industry members are also urged to contact California’s legislators as well.

And...

CALIFORNIA BILL PASSES SENATE... A California bill that will dramatically affect many large and small retailers of ammunition has passed out of the state Senate and will head to the Assembly floor. The bill, AB 996, is eligible to be heard as early as Monday. The bill would require retailers to remove ammunition from their store shelves and other display areas where customers have direct access to it. Ammunition would need to be kept in a location accessible only to store employees, which would prevent customers from browsing and comparing various brands and loadings of ammunition. It could also be an additional burden for sales employees by keeping them away from their regular duties. NSSF, the National Association of Firearms Retailers (NAFR) and the California Association of Firearms Retailers (CAFR) are all opposed to the bill.



http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_996&sess=CUR&house=B&author=ridley-thomas



http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_357&sess=CUR&house=B&author=dunn