SR-07-23-2013-13DMDR
July 23, 2013
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: City Councilmembers
From: Mayor O'Connor
Date: July 23, 2013
13 -D: Request of Mayor O'Connor that the City Council support passage of the
proposed State "Lifesaving Intelligent Firearms Enforcement (LIFE)" Act and
related bills, designed to close loopholes in existing regulations, keep firearms
out of the hands of potentially violent or dangerous persons, and strengthen
education on gun ownership. The package of bills emerged from a State Senate
and Assembly joint public safety committees hearing in January this year,
which studied gun violence and firearms laws in California. The LIFE Act bills
have passed the Senate, and now move to the State Assembly. The City is
already on record supporting SB 396 on prohibitions associated with large
capacity ammunition magazines.
July 23, 2013
California Chapters
Brady Campaign
'to Prevent Gun Violence
OUR MISSION
To educate and mobilize our
California Communities to
advocate for sensible
responsible gun laws,
regulations, and public
policies, at the local, state
and national levels.
PRESIDENT
Dallas M. Stout, Psy. D.
VICE PRESIDENT
Sheri Barnett
LEGISLATION & POLICY
CHAIRS
Nick and Amanda Wilcox
P.O. Box 892
Rough & Ready, CA 95975
(530) 432 -2171
CABrady@live.com
C HAPT E RS:
Antelope Valley
Contra Costa County
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Marro County
Napa County
Nevada .County
Oakland /Alameda County
Orange County
Pomona Valley
Sacramento Valley
San Diego County
San Fernando Valley
San Francisco County
San Joaquin County
San Mateo County
Santa Barbara County
Santa Clara County
Santa Cruz County
Solano County
Sonoma County
South Bay Los Angeles
rri- City /Alameda Co.
Ventura County
Yolo County
The LIFE Act
Lifesaving Intelligent Firearms Enforcement
The California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
strongly support the LIFE Act. The package of bills will close loopholes in
California's assault weapons law and reduce the proliferation of rapid -rate-
of -fire weaponry, help keep firearms and ammunition out of dangerous
hands, and foster responsible and informed gun ownership.
SB 374 (Steinberg) - Assault Weapons Law Reform
SB 374 simplifies and strengthens California's assault weapons law by prohibiting
fiiture sale or transfer of semi - automatic centerfire rifles that can accept detachable
magazines. This bill decisively closes loopholes by requiring semi - automatic
centerfire rifles to have fixed magazines accepting ten or fewer rounds. A
detachable magazine is the key military -style feature that enables the rapid reload
and continuous fire of bullets that can kill many people very quickly.
The bill requires owners of centerfire rifles with detachable magazines acquired
after January 2001 to submit a Firearm Ownership Record to the Department of
Justice (DOJ). These records will significantly increase the information in the
Armed Prohibited Persons System program and enable DOJ to disarm potentially
dangerous persons if they subsequently become prohibited from possessing
firearms. Additionally, the records will assist law enforcement efforts to trace
firearms and solve gum crime.
SB 396 (Hancock) - Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines
SB 396 prohibits the possession of large capacity ammunition magazines holding
more than 10 rounds, regardless of the date the magazine was acquired. High
capacity ammunition magazines can hold upwards of 100 rounds of ammunition
and allow a shooter to rapidly fire without reloading. The ability to fire a large
number of bullets in a short period of time escalates the number of victims and
lethality in any shooting incident.
California has prohibited the importation, manufacture and sale of large capacity
ammunition magazines for over twelve years. Large capacity magazines possessed
before year 2000 were "grandfathered ", but law enforcement is finding that it is
difficult to prove when a large capacity magazine was acquired or whether the
magazine was illegally purchased after the 2000 ban. Additionally, magazine repair
kits, which contain parts to repair large capacity magazines, are legally purchased
and later assembled into new large capacity magazines. Since the possession of
large capacity magazines is currently permissible, this practice, which clearly
evades the intent of the law, is legal. A ban on the possession of large capacity
magazines will enable better enforcement of existing law.
California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence ® www.bradycampaign.org /CA ® 7/15/13
SB 47 (Yee) — Assault Weapon Modifications
SB 47 updates and strengthens California's assault weapons law by closing the loophole allowing for devices that
enable the quick release and rapid reload of ammunition magazines. For example, the bullet button mechanism
and magnet feature enable a shooter to quickly detach and replace the weapon's ammunition magazine. By
exploiting the definition of detachable magazine, it is currently legal for weapons with these devices to have
another military -style feature, such as a pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, or forward
pistol grip. In form and function, these weapons, which enable the rapid and accurate spray of bullets, are
assault weapons, but are becoming widely marketed and sold in California. SB 47 closes this loophole by
providing, in statute, a precise definition for fixed magazine. The bill also requires current lawful owners of
assault weapons that do not have a fixed magazine to register their firearms. This will enable DOJ, through the
state's Armed Prohibited Persons System program, to disarm potentially dangerous persons who have an assault
weapon and subsequently become prohibited.
SB 567 (Jackson) — Shotgun Definition
SB 567 updates the definition of shotguns to close a loophole in California's assault weapons law. Among the
weapons currently banned by the law are smooth bore shotguns capable of accepting a revolving ammunition
cylinder. New weapons that possess a rifled bore but are otherwise identical to the banned shotguns are now
being manufactured and are not specifically banned. These weapons allow many shots to be fired in a short
period of time without reloading. SB 567 will update the definition of shotgun by specifying that the interior of
the barrel may be either smooth or rifled.
SB 53 (de Leon) — Ammunition Purchase Regulation
SB 53 requires anyone wishing to purchase ammunition to first pass a complete background check and become
authorized to purchase ammunition by DOJ. The bill requires that anyone selling ammunition must be licensed
by DOJ and must submit information regarding any sale, including the buyer's identification, to DOJ. DOJ will
be able to crosscheck persons who acquired ammunition with the Prohibited Armed Persons File to determine
illegally armed people buying ammunition. The bill also amends current law regarding handgun ammunition
sales to apply to all ammunition. SB 53 will enable the tracking of who is selling and buying ammunition and
provide an investigative tool to law enforcement. The bill will help keep ammunition out of the hands of
potentially dangerous people prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
SB 755 (Wolk) — Expanding Firearm Prohibitions
SB 755 adds to the list of misdemeanor criminal offenses that carry a ten year prohibition to purchase or possess
a firearm or ammunition. These include offenses related to firearms and ammunition; and being convicted of two
or more drug or alcohol related offenses within a three year period. Also, any conviction for violation of a
firearm prohibition will extend the prohibition for an additional ten years. SB 755 will help keep firearms out of
the hands of people who have shown dangerous or risky conduct related to firearms, ammunition, or substance
abuse by prohibiting their purchase of firearms. Such individual who already possess firearms could be identified
and disarmed though the state's Aimed Prohibited Persons System program.
SB 683 (Block) — Firearm Safety Certificates
SB 683 expands the existing Handgun Safety Certificate program to all firearms and requires any person
purchasing a firearm to hold a valid Firearm Safety Certificate. All firearm purchasers will be required to pass a
written test and demonstrate that they know how to handle the firearm safely. SB 683 will ensure that all firearm
purchasers — including those buying long guns — have knowledge of current firearm laws, ownership
responsibilities, firearm storage, and prevention strategies.