craschworks

Today, March 25, the California Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider legislation that would require gun owners to obtain a “permit-to-purchase” before buying handgun ammunition. Here’s the letter I wrote to the Public Safety Committee members, urging opposition:

Hi,

I’m writing to request that you vote against AB 2062. This bill will, among other things:

- require a $35 a year permit to buy ammo
- add a tax of $3 per transaction
- make it illegal to buy ammo online or out of state
- make it illegal to give a friend ammo.

By making if more difficult and costly to legally buy ammunition, it erodes the basic human right of all California citizens to defend themselves. As more people are discouraged from buying guns, due to the high costs, small gun shops will go out of business. Large retailers will stop offering ammunition for sale, in order to avoid the tax and regulatory hassle. As a result, our constitutional right as law-abiding citizens to “keep and bear arms” will be made worthless, for all practical purposes.

Consider who this will hurt:

- the abused spouse who wants to defend herself against an abusive ex,
- the small shopkeeper located in a high crime area of the city,
- the father whose home has been invaded by burglars.

If this bill passes, it will make it much more expensive for each of these people to acquire ammunition, and to practice safe gun handling skills. Many of the people hardest hit will be those who live in high crime areas, where police protection is inadequate, and the means to defend oneself is most necessary.

Moreover, this bill will do little to stop the actual criminals. Real criminals will have little problem violating the law, by purchasing on the black market or from out of state. The people it will hurt the most are those who obey the law.

So please, vote against this bill, uphold the Constitution, and help protect the right of California citizens to protect themselves.

Thanks for your time.

Chris

Press release below the cut:

California Assembly to Consider Severe Restrictions on Ammunition Sales!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Stand Up and Make Your Voice Heard Today!
Next Wednesday, March 25, the Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider legislation that would require gun owners to obtain a “permit-to-purchase” before buying handgun ammunition.

Introduced by State Assembly Member Kevin De Leon (D-45), Assembly Bill 2062 puts ammunition sales in the crosshairs. AB2062 would require that law-abiding gun owners obtain a permit to buy handgun ammunition and would impose severe restrictions on the private transfers of handgun ammunition. Applicants for a “permit-to-purchase” would be required to submit to a background check, pay a $35 fee, and wait as long as 30 days to receive the permit.

Under AB2062, it would be unlawful 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 and type of ammunition purchased, and right thumbprint, which would be submitted to the Department of Justice or the number of his handgun ammunition purchase permit. Vendors would be required to contact the purchase permit database, to verify the validity of a permit before completing a sale. 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 the members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and your State Assembly Member TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose this onerous attack on our Second Amendment freedoms. Contact information for the committee members can be found below. Please click here to find your State Assembly Member.

State Assembly Member Jose Solorio (D-69), Chair
(916) 319-2069
[email protected]

State Assembly Member Greg Aghazarian, (R-26), Vice Chair
(916) 319-2026
[email protected]

State Assembly Member Joel Anderson (R-77)
(916) 319-2077
[email protected]

State Assembly Member Hector De La Torre (D-50)
(916) 319-2050
[email protected]

State Assembly Member Fiona Ma (D-12)
(916) 319-2012
[email protected]

State Assembly Member Anthony J. Portantino (D-44)
(916) 319-2044
[email protected]