BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
52 (Scott)
Hearing Date: 5/21/01 Amended: 5/1/01
Consultant: Karen French Policy Vote: Public
Safety 4-1
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BILL SUMMARY:
SB 52, effective January 1, 2003 repeals the Basic Firearms
Safety and Certificate (BFSC) program administered by the
Department of Justice (DOJ) and replaces it with a handgun
safety licensing program subject to appropriation in the
Budget Act of 2001 for the 2001-02 fiscal year.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04
Fund
DOJ Licensing Admin.
CJIS* $883 $619 $161Special**
Firearms Division $641 $897
$656Special**
DOJ Revenue $250 $535 $952Special**
Funding shortfall ($1,274) ($982)
--Special**
*Criminal Justice Information Services-maintain and administer
database.
**BFSC reserve and License Fee Revenue.
STAFF COMMENTS:
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense
File.
According to budget information provided by the Department
of Justice, costs for the program would be funded in
2001-02 from a mix of sources (BFSC revenue - $250,000;
DROS reserve--$850,000; General Fund loan--$424,000) and in
2002-03 (License fee revenue - $231,454; BFSC revenue --
$304,000; General Fund loan -- $983,000). By fiscal year
2003-04, the program would be generating sufficient revenue
to pay for costs and to generate a surplus of $135,000,
which would be used to begin retiring the General Fund
loan.
Existing law generally requires that sale, loan or transfer
of a firearm (handguns, rifles and shotguns) in California
must be conducted through a state-licensed firearms dealer
or through a local sheriff's department in counties of less
than 200,000 population. A 10-day waiting period,
background check and handgun safety certificate for handgun
transfers are required prior to delivery of the firearm.
In order to obtain a certificate, the person must complete
a course or pass a written test.
SB 52 (Scott) page 2
This bill adds to the requirements of current law in
several areas:
Requires license renewal with background checks resulting
in periodic background checks for persons who otherwise
would trigger such a check only upon purchase of a
firearm.
Applies licensing requirements to additional categories
of transfers of property.
Requires passage of a written test and safe handling
demonstration, including fully discharging a firearm.
Requires submission of a thumbprint.
Requires DOJ to expand the current database to include
all of the information submitted by each applicant and to
make that information available to law enforcement.
This bill is substantially similar to AB 273 (Scott) of
2000, which died in the Assembly on concurrence at the end
of last year's session.