BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1471
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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 1471 (Feuer)
          As Amended April 10, 2007
          Majority vote 

           PUBLIC SAFETY       7-0         APPROPRIATIONS      12-5        
           
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Solorio, De La Torre,     |Ayes:|Leno, Caballero, Davis,   |
          |     |Leno, Ma, Portantino      |     |DeSaulnier, Huffman,      |
          |     |                          |     |Karnette, Krekorian,      |
          |     |                          |     |Lieu, Ma, Nava, Solorio,  |
          |     |                          |     |Evans                     |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |Nays:|Aghazarian, Anderson      |Nays:|Walters, Emmerson, La     |
          |     |                          |     |Malfa, Nakanishi, Sharon  |
          |     |                          |     |Runner                    |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Requires specified semiautomatic pistols to be  
          equipped with microscopic identifying markings which are  
          transferred to each cartridge case when the firearm is fired.   
          Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)States, beginning January 1, 2010, all semiautomatic pistols  
            not already designated as safe handguns, as specified, to be  
            equipped with microscopic characters that identify the make,  
            model, and serial number of the pistol etched in two or more  
            places on the interior surface or internal working parts of  
            the pistol which are transferred by imprinting on each  
            cartridge case when the firearm is fired.

          2)Makes other technical, non-substantive changes. 

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Requires, commencing January 1, 2001, that manufacturing,  
            importing into California for sale, keeping for sale, offering  
            or exposing for sale, giving, or lending any unsafe handgun is  
            a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in the county  
            jail. 

          2)Defines "unsafe handgun" as any pistol, revolver, or other  








                                                                  AB 1471
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            firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, as  
            specified, which lacks various safety mechanisms, as  
            specified. 

          3)Requires any concealable firearm manufactured in California,  
            imported for sale, kept for sale, or offered for sale to be  
            tested within a reasonable period of time by an independent  
            laboratory, certified by the Department of Justice (DOJ), to  
            determine whether it meets required safety standards, as  
            specified. 

          4)Requires DOJ, on and after January 1, 2001, to compile,  
            publish, and thereafter maintain a roster listing all of the  
            pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being  
            concealed upon the person that have been tested by a certified  
            testing laboratory, have been determined not to be unsafe  
            handguns, and may be sold in California, as specified.  The  
            roster shall list, for each firearm, the manufacturer, model  
            number, and model name. 

          5)Provides that DOJ may charge every person in California who is  
            licensed as a manufacturer of firearms, as specified, and any  
            person in California who manufactures or causes to be  
            manufactured, imports into California for sale, keeps for  
            sale, or offers or exposes for sale any pistol, revolver, or  
            other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person in  
            California, an annual fee not exceeding the costs of  
            preparing, publishing, and maintaining the roster of firearms  
            determined not be unsafe, and the costs of research and  
            development, report analysis, firearms storage, and other  
            program infrastructure costs, as specified. 

          6)Requires DOJ to maintain a registry of all handguns sold by a  
            licensed dealer in California including, but not limited to,  
            the buyer's name, address and other identifying information,  
            as well as the serial number of the weapon sold. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, unknown, likely minor, non-reimbursable local law  
          enforcement costs for increased county jail commitments for  
          misdemeanor possession or sale of unsafe handguns, the category  
          of which would expand pursuant to this bill.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, "This bill is about catching  








                                                                  AB 1471
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          criminals.  This bill will allow law enforcement to positively  
          link used cartridge casings recovered at crime scenes to the  
          crime gun.  This bill will:  (a) help law enforcement solve  
          handgun crimes; (b) help reduce gang violence; and, (c) help  
          reduce gun trafficking of new semi-automatic handguns.

          "One of the most important pieces of this legislation is that it  
          places no additional burden to gun owners.  The additional cost  
          will be $0.50 to $2 a gun and no new licenses or permits are  
          required.  

          "California has an enormous and diverse problem of unsolved  
          homicides committed with handguns.  No arrest is made in  
          approximately 45% of all homicides in California because police  
          lack the evidence they need.  Of the approximately 2,400  
          homicides in California per year over 60% are committed with  
          handguns (2004 DOJ data).  Approximately 70% of new handguns  
          sold in California are semiautomatics ('Handgun Commerce in  
          California 1999,' Sacramento: Violence Prevention Research  
          Program, 2002).

          "Microstamping technology would give law enforcement a tool that  
          will provide evidence to help investigate, arrest and convict  
          more people who use semiautomatic handguns in crimes and will  
          provide rapid leads in the first crucial hours after a homicide.  
           

          "This bill will help law enforcement identify and apprehend  
          armed gang members before they inflict more harm on others,  
          including innocent bystanders.  In instances of drive-by  
          shootings where the only evidence at the crime scene may be a  
          spent cartridge case, law enforcement could quickly obtain a  
          critical lead."
           
           Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of  
          this bill.

           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Kimberly Horiuchi / PUB. S. / (916)  
          319-3744 


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