| WASHINGTON
- July 19 - California Gov. Gray Davis today signed two of the toughest gun laws
in the country: the nation's strongest ban on assault weapons and ammunition magazines
and a measure to stop gun traffickers by limiting gun buyers to no more than one
handgun per month. Davis, like other successful state candidates, campaigned extensively
in support of responsible gun control laws during his 1998 bid for the governorship,
after former Gov. Pete Wilson vetoed several gun control bills. California voters
elected solid gun control majorities in both houses of the legislature.
"Once again, California
is a beacon of responsible gun policy, leading the country with sensible laws
that will keep assault weapons and deadly handguns out of the hands of criminals
and kids," said Sarah Brady, chair of Handgun Control, which sponsored the bills.
"I call on the Congress to follow the lead of California and take serious action
against the scourge of gun violence that endangers our kids and our communities.
Just as California voters elected candidates who supported sensible gun laws in
1998, voters across America are watching Congress now and will remember in the
2000 elections."
"Our neighborhoods, and
our school yards, are no place for semiautomatic assault weapons and military
ammunition magazines that can fire dozens of bullets in a few seconds," continued
Brady. "And it is past time to stop gun traffickers from buying a dozen cheap
handguns at a time in order to resell them on the street to criminals and kids
who can't pass a background check. Who needs more than 12 handguns a year anyway?
American mothers and fathers are sick and tired of burying children because of
the easy availability of these deadly weapons. Enough is enough."
"I applaud Gov. Davis' courage
in standing up to the gun lobby, despite all their threats and all their money.
And I hope some of his courage will rub off on the Congress so we can enact national
gun laws to protect all Americans."
The assault weapons bill,
SB 23, by Sen. Don Perata (D-Alameda), would prohibit the sale or transfer of
any semiautomatic assault weapon with one or more military characteristics such
as a pistol grip, folding stock or grenade launcher. SB 23 also prohibits the
sale or transfer of ammunition magazines that are capable of holding more than
10 rounds. Current assault weapon owners would have one year to register their
weapons in order to keep them. The handgun purchase limit, AB 202 by Assemblyman
Wally Knox (D-Los Angeles), would curtail gun trafficking by limiting the purchase
of more than one handgun in a 30-day period. Licensed gun collectors would be
exempt.
------
Handgun Control, chaired by Sarah Brady, is the nation's largest citizens gun
control lobbying organization. Based in Washington, D.C., HCI works to enact stronger
federal, state and local gun control laws, but does not seek to band handguns.
Founded in 1974, HCI has more than 400,000 members nationwide and works with local
groups around the country to enact and protect reasonable gun control laws. More
information about HCI and its affiliated organization, the Center to Prevent Handgun
Violence, can be found on our Web site at www.handguncontrol.org
###
|
Share This Article With A Friend