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