Semi-Auto Ban Vetoed in California, But Lead Ammo Ban Approved
We have good news and bad news for California gun owners and hunters. The good news is that California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 374. The bad news is that Gov. Brown also signed AB 711 which bans the use of lead-containing ammunition for hunting. Gov. Brown surprised many people with his veto of SB 374, a sweeping ban on virtually all semi-automatic centerfire rifles with any kind of detachable magazine. Had it become law, SB 374 would have banned the sale and transfer of hundreds of rifle types, including many classic hunting rifles with 3- or 4-round flush-mount detachable magazines. In addition, SB 374 would have banned historic military rifles such as the M1 Garand, and M1 Carbine, which are prized by collectors and widely used in vintage rifle events and CMP shooting matches.
In his Veto Message, Gov. Brown stated:
I am returning Senate Bill 374 without my signature.
The State of California already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, including bans on military-style assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
While the author’s intent is to strengthen these restrictions, this bill goes much farther by banning any semi-automatic rifle with a detachable magazine. This ban covers low-capacity rifles that are commonly used for hunting, firearms training, and marksmanship practice, as well as some historical and collectible firearms. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of current gun owners would have to register their rifles as assault weapons and would be banned from selling or transferring them in the future.
I don’t believe that this bill’s blanket ban on semi-automatic rifles would reduce criminal activity or enhance public safety enough to warrant this infringement on gun owners’ rights.
Governor Brown Signs Eleven Bills Targeting Gun Owners
In addition to vetoing the expanded “assault weapons” ban, Brown vetoed six other bills relating to firearms: SB299, SB475, SB567, SB755, AB169, and AB180. Again, that sounds good. However, at the same time, Gov. Brown signed eleven other bills that will affect California gun owners:
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SB 171 – Patient threats must be reported by psychotherapists to police within one day.
SB 363 – New penalties for storing loading guns where they may be improperly accessed.
SB 683 – Requires long gun owners to obtain safety certificates.
AB 48 – Bans magazine conversion kits increasing capacity.
AB 170 – Disallows organizational permits for “assault weapons”, and .50 BMG.
AB 231 – Criminalizes leaving a gun where child might use it without permission.
AB 500 – Imposes further rules on gun storage; expands DOJ background check times.
AB 558 – FFLs must provide Record of Sale to gun buyers.
AB 539 – Permits disallowed persons to temporarily transfer guns to FFL.
AB 711 – Bans lead ammunition for all hunting activities.
AB 1131 – 5-year gun prohibition for people who have revealed threat to psychiatrist.
Bill Banning Use of Lead-Containing Ammunition for Hunting
AB 711, the lead ammunition ban, will create real problems for California hunters as it is “phased in” over the next few years. There are no lead-free bullets readily available for many cartridge/caliber types. Critics of AB 711 have called this “a ban on hunting disguised as an ammunition ban”.
Summary of Key Provisions of AB 711:
Existing California law requires that nonlead centerfire rifle and pistol ammunition be used when taking big game with a rifle or pistol, as defined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s hunting regulations, and when taking coyote, within specified deer hunting zones, but excluding specific counties and areas.This bill would instead require, as soon as is practicable, but by no later than July 1, 2019, the use of nonlead ammunition for the taking of all wildlife, including game mammals, game birds, nongame birds, and nongame mammals, with any firearm. The bill would require the commission to certify, by regulation, nonlead ammunition for these purposes. The bill would require that these requirements be fully implemented statewide by no later than July 1, 2019.
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Tags: AB 711, California, Detachable Magazine, Gun Control, Jerry Brown, Sacramento, SB 374, Semi-Auto
While there are a lot of gun-owners here (2nd only to Texas) many of them don’t hunt. Access to public lands is quite restrictive and few private land owners allow it – many hunt of preserves or club lands. I think the motivation for the law is bogus; 200 Condors.
That said, I think the market will step up to fill the need of non-lead bullets both in factory ammo and components. Just as the shotgun-shell manufacturers provided us with steel shot when lead was outlawed.
With a couple of exceptions, the Bills approved aren’t going to change life that much – but they’ll probably lead to the recall efforts of some of the authors of these infringements on our rights as well as legal appealsto hinder implementation.
The proviso for an incremental roll-out should provide a window of time to do just that.
The 6 Bills the Governor vetoed were the absolute worst of the bunch – the Calguns Foundation helped flood the Governor’s office with calls and emails urging their veto.
They continue to go after not only mags but bullets as well. The availability of non lead bullets for competition is slim at best. I see it as a death blow to CA. Democrats dont like guns and plan to take them or make them useless, thats what it amounts to in this country.
They put feinstein in the women`s hall of fame!! oh boy
Guy, The lead ammo ban only affects hunting and not target/recreational shooters so the actual impact on ammo will be slight. There are not that many hunters in CA and the amount of ammo used in hunting is exponentially smaller than the amount used in target/competition/recreational shooting.
Its still bad, but at least the major bills where struck down. Also a good chance to let the fudd hunters see that they are not safe from bad laws.