BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1020 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 1020 (Bonta) - As Amended: April 25, 2013 Policy Committee: Public SafetyVote: 7-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to send a notice during the 10-day waiting period to every person who applies to purchase a gun informing him or her of gun laws relating to gun transfers and storage, as specified. Requires the notice to include a website for DOJ's summary of gun laws and requires DOJ to update the summary annually. FISCAL EFFECT Significant ongoing special fund costs, in the range of $700,000 (Dealer Record of Sales Account (DROS) to program, process and provide upwards of 1.2 million notices per year and maintain an updated gun laws website. In 2012-13, the number of gun purchases is expected to be 1.2 million, increasing to 1.3 million in 2013-14. COMMENTS 1)Rationale . The author's intent is to replicate statewide a program established by the L.A. City Attorney's Office, in conjunction with local, state and federal officials, to inform gun owners of rights and responsibilities. According to the author, "Research suggests that one important flow of illegal guns to criminals involves legal purchasers who engaged in one or two "straw purchases" to provide guns to someone with a disqualifying criminal record. The mail campaign was premised on the idea that straw purchasers can be deterred from illegally transferring guns. Because these AB 1020 Page 2 individuals had no prior arrests or convictions that prohibited them from making a legal firearm purchase, they could be deterred more easily than individuals with an existing criminal history. "According to several RAND studies, the mail program had a significantly increased number of firearms reported lost and stolen-more than doubling the reporting. Additionally, there was an increase in approved firearms transactions not being completed, suggesting a deterrence effect, but the results require further examination." 2)Current law requires all handgun purchasers in California to take an exam on handgun safety and obtain a 75% passing score to receive a certificate. A written guide - approved by the DOJ - is available to prepare for the Handgun Safety Certificate Test for purchase at firearms dealers for 50 cents. 3)Support . According to the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign, based on a 2007-2008 study in L.A. aimed at new gun buyers to determine whether a public safety message delivered by mail during the waiting period could modify gun purchasers' behavior, the letter appeared to have no effect on the legal firearm transfer rate of guns showing up in a crime. However, the rate at which guns were reported stolen by those who received the letter was more than twice the rate of those who did not receive the letter. The study concludes that gun law messaging increased the likelihood that new gun owners would report the theft of recently purchased guns. What could not be determined from the study was whether the increase in theft reports was the result of straw buyers filing false reports to try and break the paper trail that would lead back to their illegal activities. In either case, the additional data on gun theft is of investigative value to law enforcement. Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081