Senate Bill No. 53

Introduced by Senator De León

(Principal coauthor: Senator Yee)

(Coauthor: Senator Steinberg)

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Skinner)

December 20, 2012

An act to amend Sections 11106, 17315, 30312, 30347, 30350, 30352, and 30365 of, to amend the heading of Article 3 (commencing with Section 30345) of Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4 of Part 6 of, to add Section 16663 to, and to add Article 4 (commencing with Section 30370) to Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4 of Part 6 of, the Penal Code, relating to ammunition.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 53, as introduced, De León. Ammunition: purchase permits.

(1) Existing law requires the Attorney General to maintain records, including among other things, fingerprints, licenses to carry concealed firearms, and information from firearms dealers pertaining to firearms, for purposes of assisting in the investigation of crimes, and specified civil actions.

This bill would require the Attorney General to also maintain copies of ammunition purchase permits for those purposes.

(2) Existing law, subject to exceptions, requires that the delivery or transfer of ownership of handgun ammunition occur only in a face-to-face transaction. Existing law provides that the term “vendor” for purposes of ammunition sales is a “handgun ammunition vendor” as defined for those and other purposes.

This bill would extend those provisions to any ammunition. The bill would provide that the term “vendor” for purposes of ammunition sales means “ammunition vendor” as defined for those and other purposes. The bill would make additional conforming changes.

(3) Existing law prohibits an ammunition vendor from allowing a person the vendor knows or should know is a person who is prohibited from possessing firearms for specified reasons, from handling, selling, or delivering handgun ammunition in the course and scope of their employment. Existing law prohibits an ammunition vendor from selling or otherwise transferring ownership of, offering for sale or otherwise offering to transfer ownership of, or displaying for sale or displaying for transfer of ownership of, any handgun ammunition in a manner that allows that ammunition to be accessible to a purchaser or transferee without the assistance of the vendor or an employee of the vendor.

This bill would extend those prohibitions to any ammunition. The bill would provide that a violation of those provisions is a misdemeanor.

By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(4) Existing law subject to exceptions, requires a handgun ammunition vendor to record specified information at the time of delivery of handgun ammunition to a purchaser, as specified.

This bill would extend those provisions to transactions of any ammunition. The bill would, commencing September 1, 2014, and subject to exceptions, require the purchaser of ammunition to hold an ammunition purchase permit, or other specified permit, license, or certificate pertaining to acquisition, possession, or carrying firearms, as provided, or other specified documentation for a person who is not a state resident. The bill would, commencing September 1, 2014, require the vendor to submit to the Department of Justice information demonstrating compliance with that verification requirement, as specified. The bill would, commencing June 1, 2014, authorize issuance of ammunition purchase permits by the Department of Justice to applicants who are residents of this state, at least 18 years of age, not prohibited from acquiring or possessing ammunition, and who pay the required fees, as specified. The bill would establish an application process and specify the information to be displayed on the permit. The bill would provide that the permit authorizes the holder to purchase ammunition from an ammunition vendor.

(5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 11106 of the Penal Code, as added by
Section 2.5 of Chapter 745 of the Statutes of 2011, is amended to
read:

11106.  

(a) In order to assist in the investigation of crime, the
prosecution of civil actions by city attorneys pursuant to paragraph
(3) of subdivision begin delete (c) end delete begin insert (b) end insert , the arrest and prosecution of criminals,
and the recovery of lost, stolen, or found property, the Attorney
General shall keep and properly file a complete record of all copies
of fingerprints, copies of licenses to carry firearms issued pursuant
to Section 26150, 26155, 26170, or 26215, information reported
to the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 26225, begin insert copies of end insert
begin insert permits authorized in Section 30370, end insert dealers’ records of sales of
firearms, reports provided pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with
Section 27500) of Chapter 4 of Division 6 of Title 4 of Part 6, or
pursuant to any provision listed in subdivision (a) of Section 16585,
forms provided pursuant to Section 12084, as that section read
prior to being repealed, reports provided pursuant to Article 1
(commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2 (commencing
with Section 26800) of Chapter 2 of Division 6 of Title 4 of Part
6, that are not dealers’ records of sales of firearms, and reports of
stolen, lost, found, pledged, or pawned property in any city or
county of this state, and shall, upon proper application therefor,
furnish this information to the officers referred to in Section 11105.

(b) (1) The Attorney General shall permanently keep and
properly file and maintain all information reported to the
Department of Justice pursuant to the following provisions as to
firearms and maintain a registry thereof:

(A) Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2
(commencing with Section 26800) of Chapter 2 of Division 6 of
Title 4 of Part 6.

(B) Article 1 (commencing with Section 27500) of Chapter 4
of Division 6 of Title 4 of Part 6.

(C) Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050) of Division 6
of Title 4 of Part 6.

(D) Any provision listed in subdivision (a) of Section 16585.

(E) Former Section 12084.

(F) Any other law.

(2) The registry shall consist of all of the following:

(A) The name, address, identification of, place of birth (state
or country), complete telephone number, occupation, sex,
description, and all legal names and aliases ever used by the owner
or person being loaned the particular firearm as listed on the
information provided to the department on the Dealers’ Record of
Sale, the Law Enforcement Firearms Transfer (LEFT), as defined
in former Section 12084, or reports made to the department
pursuant to any provision listed in subdivision (a) of Section 16585
or any other law.

(B) The name and address of, and other information about, any
person (whether a dealer or a private party) from whom the owner
acquired or the person being loaned the particular firearm and
when the firearm was acquired or loaned as listed on the
information provided to the department on the Dealers’ Record of
Sale, the LEFT, or reports made to the department pursuant to any
provision listed in subdivision (a) of Section 16585 or any other
law.

(C) Any waiting period exemption applicable to the transaction
which resulted in the owner of or the person being loaned the
particular firearm acquiring or being loaned that firearm.

(D) The manufacturer’s name if stamped on the firearm, model
name or number if stamped on the firearm, and, if applicable, the
serial number, other number (if more than one serial number is
stamped on the firearm), caliber, type of firearm, if the firearm is
new or used, barrel length, and color of the firearm, or, if the
firearm is not a handgun and does not have a serial number or any
identification number or mark assigned to it, that shall be noted.

(3) Information in the registry referred to in this subdivision
shall, upon proper application therefor, be furnished to the officers
referred to in Section 11105, to a city attorney prosecuting a civil
action, solely for use in prosecuting that civil action and not for
any other purpose, or to the person listed in the registry as the
owner or person who is listed as being loaned the particular firearm.

(4) If any person is listed in the registry as the owner of a firearm
through a Dealers’ Record of Sale prior to 1979, and the person
listed in the registry requests by letter that the Attorney General
store and keep the record electronically, as well as in the record’s
existing photographic, photostatic, or nonerasable optically stored
form, the Attorney General shall do so within three working days
of receipt of the request. The Attorney General shall, in writing,
and as soon as practicable, notify the person requesting electronic
storage of the record that the request has been honored as required
by this paragraph.

(c) (1) Any officer referred to in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive,
of subdivision (b) of Section 11105 may disseminate the name of
the subject of the record, the number of the firearms listed in the
record, and the description of any firearm, including the make,
model, and caliber, from the record relating to any firearm’s sale,
transfer, registration, or license record, or any information reported
to the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 26225, Article 1
(commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2 (commencing
with Section 26800) of Chapter 2 of Division 6 of Title 4 of Part
6, Article 1 (commencing with Section 27500) of Chapter 4 of
Division 6 of Title 4 of Part 6, Chapter 5 (commencing with
Section 28050) of Division 6 of Title 4 of Part 6, Article 2
(commencing with Section 28150) of Chapter 6 of Division 6 of
Title 4 of Part 6, Article 5 (commencing with Section 30900) of
Chapter 2 of Division 10 of Title 4 of Part 6, Chapter 2
(commencing with Section 33850) of Division 11 of Title 4 of Part
6, or any provision listed in subdivision (a) of Section 16585, if
the following conditions are met:

(A) The subject of the record has been arraigned for a crime in
which the victim is a person described in subdivisions (a) to (f),
inclusive, of Section 6211 of the Family Code and is being
prosecuted or is serving a sentence for the crime, or the subject of
the record is the subject of an emergency protective order, a
temporary restraining order, or an order after hearing, which is in
effect and has been issued by a family court under the Domestic
Violence Protection Act set forth in Division 10 (commencing
with Section 6200) of the Family Code.

(B) The information is disseminated only to the victim of the
crime or to the person who has obtained the emergency protective
order, the temporary restraining order, or the order after hearing
issued by the family court.

(C) Whenever a law enforcement officer disseminates the
information authorized by this subdivision, that officer or another
officer assigned to the case shall immediately provide the victim
of the crime with a “Victims of Domestic Violence” card, as
specified in subparagraph (H) of paragraph (9) of subdivision (c)
of Section 13701.

(2) The victim or person to whom information is disseminated
pursuant to this subdivision may disclose it as he or she deems
necessary to protect himself or herself or another person from
bodily harm by the person who is the subject of the record.

(d) This section shall become operative January 1, 2014.

SEC. 2.  

Section 16663 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

16663.  

As used in this part, “ammunition vendor” means any
person, firm, corporation, dealer, or any other business enterprise
that is engaged in the retail sale of any ammunition, or that holds
itself out as engaged in the business of selling any ammunition.

SEC. 3.  

Section 17315 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

17315.  

As used in Article 3 (commencing with Section 30345)
of Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4, “vendor” means begin delete a handgun end delete
begin insert an end insert ammunition vendor.

SEC. 4.  

Section 30312 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30312.  

(a)  begin delete Commencing February 1, 2011, the end delete begin insert The end insert delivery
or transfer of ownership of begin delete handgun end delete ammunition may only occur
in a face-to-face transaction with the deliverer or transferor being
provided bona fide evidence of identity from the purchaser or other
transferee.

(b) Subdivision (a) shall not apply to or affect the sale, delivery,
or transfer of begin delete handgun end delete ammunition to any of the following:

(1) An authorized law enforcement representative of a city,
county, city and county, or state or federal government, if the sale,
delivery, or transfer is for exclusive use by that government agency
and, prior to the sale, delivery, or transfer of the begin delete handgun end delete
ammunition, written authorization from the head of the agency
employing the purchaser or transferee is obtained, identifying the
employee as an individual authorized to conduct the transaction,
and authorizing the transaction for the exclusive use of the agency
employing the individual.

(2) A sworn peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5
(commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 who is
authorized to carry a firearm in the course and scope of the officer’s
duties.

(3) An importer or manufacturer of begin delete handgun end delete ammunition or
firearms who is licensed to engage in business pursuant to Chapter
44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States
Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto.

(4) A person who is on the centralized list maintained by the
Department of Justice pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with
Section 28450) of Chapter 6 of Division 6 of this title.

(5) A person whose licensed premises are outside this state and
who is licensed as a dealer or collector of firearms pursuant to
Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the
United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto.

(6) A person who is licensed as a collector of firearms pursuant
to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the
United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto,
whose licensed premises are within this state, and who has a current
certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Justice
pursuant to Section 26710.

(7)  begin delete A handgun end delete begin insert An end insert ammunition vendor.

(8) A consultant-evaluator.

(c) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

SEC. 5.  

The heading of Article 3 (commencing with Section
30345) of Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4 of Part 6 of the Penal
Code is amended to read:

 

Article 3.  begin delete Handgun end delete Ammunition Vendors

 

SEC. 6.  

Section 30347 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30347.  

A vendor shall not permit any employee who the vendor
knows or reasonably should know is a person described in Chapter
2 (commencing with Section 29800) or Chapter 3 (commencing
with Section 29900) of Division 9 of this title or Section 8100 or
8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to handle, sell, or deliver
begin delete handgun end delete ammunition in the course and scope of employment.

SEC. 7.  

Section 30350 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30350.  

A vendor shall not sell or otherwise transfer ownership
of, offer for sale or otherwise offer to transfer ownership of, or
display for sale or display for transfer of ownership of any begin delete handgun end delete
ammunition in a manner that allows that ammunition to be
accessible to a purchaser or transferee without the assistance of
the vendor or an employee of the vendor.

SEC. 8.  

Section 30352 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30352.  

(a)  begin delete Commencing February 1, 2011, a end delete begin insert A end insert vendor shall
not sell or otherwise transfer ownership of any begin delete handgun end delete
ammunition without, at the time of delivery, legibly recording the
following information:

(1) The date of the sale or other transaction.

(2) The purchaser’s or transferee’s driver’s license or other
identification number and the state in which it was issued.

(3) The brand, type, and amount of ammunition sold or
otherwise transferred.

(4) The purchaser’s or transferee’s signature.

(5) The name of the salesperson who processed the sale or other
transaction.

(6) The right thumbprint of the purchaser or transferee on the
above form.

(7) The purchaser’s or transferee’s full residential address and
telephone number.

(8) The purchaser’s or transferee’s date of birth.

begin insert

(b) Commencing September 1, 2014, an ammunition vendor
shall submit information in a format prescribed by the department
to show compliance with subdivision (c).

end insert begin insert

(c) Commencing on September 1, 2014, only those persons listed
below or those persons or entities listed in subdivision (d) shall
be permitted to purchase ammunition. Prior to the delivery of the
ammunition, the vendor shall verify that the person who is
receiving delivery of the ammunition is a properly identified person
or entity listed in subdivision (d) or one of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) A holder of a valid ammunition purchase permit issued
pursuant to Section 30370.

end insert begin insert

(2) A person who is authorized to carry loaded firearms
pursuant to Section 25900, 25905, 25910, 25925, 26010, 26015,
26025, or 26030.

end insert begin insert

(3) A holder of a special weapons permit issued by the
department pursuant to Section 32650 or 33300, pursuant to Article
3 (commencing with Section 18900) of Chapter 1 of Division 5 of
Title 2, or pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 32700)
of Chapter 6 of this division.

end insert begin insert

(4) A holder of a current certificate of eligibility issued pursuant
to Section 26710.

end insert begin insert

(5) A holder of a valid entertainment firearms permit issued
pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29500) of
Division 8.

end insert begin insert

(6) If a person is not the holder of an ammunition purchase
permit because he or she is not a resident of this state, then
pursuant to procedures prescribed by the department, the person
presents documentation to the vendor that shows that the person
would not be prohibited from acquiring or possessing ammunition
within this state.

end insert begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert (d end insert begin insert ) end insert  Subdivision (a) shall not apply to or affect sales or other
transfers of ownership of begin delete handgun end delete ammunition by begin delete handgun end delete
ammunition vendors to any of the following, if properly identified:

(1) A person licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26915,
inclusive.

(2)  begin delete A handgun end delete begin insert An end insert ammunition vendor.

(3) A person who is on the centralized list maintained by the
department pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 28450)
of Chapter 6 of Division 6 of this title.

(4) A target facility that holds a business or regulatory license.

(5) A gunsmith.

(6) A wholesaler.

(7) A manufacturer or importer of firearms begin insert or ammunition end insert
licensed pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921)
of Title 18 of the United States Code, and the regulations issued
pursuant thereto.

(8) An authorized law enforcement representative of a city,
county, city and county, or state or federal government, if the sale
or other transfer of ownership is for exclusive use by that
government agency, and, prior to the sale, delivery, or transfer of
the begin delete handgun end delete ammunition, written authorization from the head of
the agency authorizing the transaction is presented to the person
from whom the purchase, delivery, or transfer is being made.
Proper written authorization is defined as verifiable written
certification from the head of the agency by which the purchaser,
transferee, or person otherwise acquiring ownership is employed,
identifying the employee as an individual authorized to conduct
the transaction, and authorizing the transaction for the exclusive
use of the agency by which that individual is employed.

SEC. 9.  

Section 30365 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30365.  

(a) A violation of Section begin insert 30347, 30350, end insert 30352, 30355,
30360, or 30362 is a misdemeanor.

(b) The provisions of this section are cumulative, and shall not
be construed as restricting the application of any other law.
However, an act or omission punishable in different ways by
different provisions of law shall not be punished under more than
one provision.

SEC. 10.  

Article 4 (commencing with Section 30370) is added
to Chapter 1 of Division 10 of Title 4 of Part 6 of the Penal Code,
to read:

 

Article 4.  Ammunition Purchase Permits

 

30370.  

(a) (1) Commencing on June 1, 2014, any person who
is a resident of this state and who is 18 years of age or older may
apply to the department for an ammunition purchase permit, in a
format to be prescribed by the department.

(2) The ammunition purchase permit shall entitle the
permitholder to purchase or otherwise acquire ownership of
ammunition from an ammunition vendor as that term is defined
in Section 16663 and shall have no other force or effect.

(b) The department shall issue an ammunition purchase permit
to the applicant if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant is 18 years of age or older.

(2) The applicant is not prohibited from acquiring or possessing
ammunition by the laws of this state.

(3) The applicant pays the fees set forth in subdivision (i).

(c) (1) Upon receipt of an initial or renewal application, the
department shall examine its records and is authorized to request
records from the State Department of Mental Health, pursuant to
Section 8104 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and if
authorized, the National Instant Criminal Background Check
System, as described in of Section 922(t) of Title 18 of the United
States Code, in order to determine if the applicant is prohibited
from possessing or acquiring ammunition.

(2) The applicant shall be approved or denied within 30 days
of the date of the application. If the application is denied, the
department shall state the reasons for doing so and provide the
applicant an appeal process to challenge that denial.

(d) The ammunition purchase permit shall be valid for one year
from the date of issuance.

(e) The department shall send a notice of the expiration of an
ammunition purchase permit, by first-class mail or other means
that are equivalent, including electronic mail, to the address of the
person as shown by the records of the department, not less than
90 days before the expiration date, and shall enclose or contain a
form for the renewal of the permit.

(f) The ammunition purchase permit shall be revoked by the
department upon the occurrence of any event which would have
disqualified the holder from being issued the ammunition purchase
permit pursuant to this section.

(g) The ammunition purchase permit shall be in a tamper-proof
form prescribed by the department and shall include the name,
address, photograph, date of birth, a unique identifying number,
expiration date from the date of issuance, physical characteristics,
including the height, weight, eye color, and hair color of the
permitholder, and other information that may be prescribed by the
department.

(h) The department shall recover the reasonable cost of
administering this section by charging applicants an initial
application and annual renewal application fee.

(i) All fees received pursuant to this section shall be deposited
into the Dealer’s Record of Sale Special Account of the General
Fund.

(j) The implementation of this section by the department is
exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title
2 of the Government Code).

(k) The department shall annually review and shall adjust the
fees specified in subdivision (h), if necessary, to fully fund, but
not to exceed the reasonable costs of, the permit program provided
by this section, including the enforcement of this program.

(l) The Attorney General is authorized to adopt regulations to
implement the provisions of this section.

SEC. 11.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.