Los Angeles City and California 2023 Legislative Session
Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Ordinance Process
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has filed a lawsuit against Nevada-based Polymer80 – one of the nation’s largest sellers of “ghost gun” kits and component parts. We’ve talked about ghost guns in prior podcasts but as a reminder, these kits enable buyers to build fully functional guns at home without complying with background checks or gun serialization requirements. The lawsuit alleges these kits are being sold in violation of federal and California gun laws and seeks an abatement fund from any payout by Polymer to help with the violence associated with their guns.
In 2020, about a third of all weapons recovered by law enforcement were ghost guns. In Los Angeles, it was even higher, about 40%. The Sheriff’s Department saw its seizures of ghost guns jump by 50%. LAPD Chief Michel Moore has reported that more than 700 ghost guns seized in Los Angeles were made from parts bought from Polymer80. More than 300 were seized in South Los Angeles, where homicides have soared.
In response to these startling statistics, in November 2021 the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits the possession, purchase, sale, receipt, or transport of Ghost Guns (a non-serialized unfinished firearm frame or receiver, or non-serialized firearm) subject to certain exceptions.
This year, 2023, we have doubled down on trickle up legislation — starting locally to initiate action statewide and nationwide. Partnering with local gun violence prevention organizations and community members, we successfully advocated for stronger gun violence prevention ordinances in Culver City, Santa Monica, and Burbank with our new focus on Monterey Park. Efforts in Culver City resulted in the City’s purchase of a local gun store, finally breaking the grandfather clause that allowed the gun store to be less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school, park, and mosque.
We have successfully supported several Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ efforts to prevent gun violence including speaking at Board meetings in support of Gun Violence Restraining Order trainings and participating in gun buybacks where we also supplied free gun locks to those turning in their firearms.
California
California Legislative Process
California Legislative Glossary
Statewide we joined with our coalition partners to successfully pass and Governor Newsom signed into California law:
AB 28
Makes California the first state in the nation to create a permanent, dedicated gun violence prevention fund supported by a tax on firearm sales. The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act, is a holistic approach to preventing gun violence. Starting in July 1, 2024, California will impose an excise tax in the amount of 11% of the gross receipts from the retail sale of firearms and ammunition. That money will be used to fund various gun violence prevention, education, research, response, and investigation programs that will help all our communities.
SB 2
To counter the dangerous US Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling, SB 2 now requires stronger vetting and safety training to carry weapons in public and creates more sensitive areas (parks, playgrounds, bars) as off-limits to firearms.
AB 1089
Strengthens the restrictions on the sale and marketing of the machines that manufacture ghost guns. The California Attorney General report (July 2023) found that annual law enforcement seizures of guns without serial numbers (ghost guns) has increased from fewer than 1,300 in the early 2010s to more than 20,000 in both 2021 and 2022 and coincides with a surge in gun violence in California and the nation as a whole.
AB 1587
Creates a merchant category code to help track purchases at gun and ammunition dealers. This new law will help law enforcement track firearms and ammunition purchases to help prevent mass shootings and firearm trafficking.
AB 1420
Authorizes the California Department of Justice to conduct inspections of firearm dealers at least once every three years and to levy fines.
AB 818
Strengthens protections for survivors of domestic violence and abuse by ensuring proper service of protective orders on the perpetrators.