BILL NUMBER: AB 1717	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 21, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 18, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 29, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 26, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   FEBRUARY 23, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   FEBRUARY 15, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hertzberg
   (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Kuehl, Scott, and Wildman)
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Alquist, Keeley, Knox, Shelley, and
Washington)
   (Coauthor:  Senator Alarcon)

                        JANUARY 3, 2000

   An act to add Section 12072.5 to the Penal Code, relating to
firearms.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1717, Hertzberg.  Firearms:  ballistic testing.
   (1) Existing law regulates the sale, transfer, and delivery of
firearms by persons, corporations, firms, and dealers.  Violations of
specified provisions of law governing the sale or transfer of
firearms may be punished as a misdemeanor or a felony.
   This bill would require the Attorney General to conduct a study to
evaluate ballistics identification systems, as defined, to determine
the feasibility and potential benefits to law enforcement of
utilizing a statewide ballistics identification system capable of
maintaining a data base of ballistic images and information from test
fired and sold firearms, as specified.  The Attorney General would
be required to submit a report to the Legislature with the results of
the study no later than June 1, 2001.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 12072.5 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
   12072.5.  (a) For purposes of this section, "ballistics
identification systems" includes, but is not limited to, any
automated image analysis system that is capable of storing firearm
ballistic markings and tracing those markings to the firearm that
produced them.
   (b) The Attorney General shall conduct a study to evaluate
ballistics identification systems to determine the feasibility and
potential benefits to law enforcement of utilizing a statewide
ballistics identification system capable of maintaining a data base
of ballistic images and information from test fired and sold
firearms.  The study shall include an evaluation of ballistics
identification systems currently used by state and federal law
enforcement agencies and the firearms industry.  The Attorney General
shall consult with law enforcement agencies, firearms industry
representatives, private technology providers, and other appropriate
parties in conducting the study.
   (c) In evaluating ballistics identification systems to determine
the feasibility of utilizing a statewide system as required pursuant
to subdivision (b), the Attorney General shall consider, at a
minimum, the following:
   (1) The development of methods by which firearm manufacturers,
importers, and dealers may potentially capture ballistic images from
firearms prior to sale in California and forward that information to
the Attorney General.
   (2) The development of methods by which the Attorney General will
receive, store, and make available to law enforcement ballistic
images submitted by firearm manufacturers, importers, and dealers
prior to sale in California.
   (3) The potential financial costs to the Attorney General of
implementing and operating a statewide ballistics identification
system, including the process for receipt of information from firearm
manufacturers, importers, and dealers.
   (4) The capability of a ballistics identification system
maintaining a data base of ballistic images and information from test
fired firearms for all firearms sold in California.
   (5) The compatibility of a ballistics identification system with
ballistics identification systems that are currently used by law
enforcement agencies in California.
   (6) A method to ensure that state and local law enforcement
agencies can forward ballistic identification information to the
Attorney General for inclusion in a statewide ballistics
identification system.
   (7) The feasibility and potential benefits to law enforcement of
requiring firearm manufacturers, importers, and dealers to provide
the Attorney General with ballistic images from any, or a selected
number of, test fired firearms prior to the sale of those firearms in
California.
   (d) The Attorney General shall submit a report to the Legislature
with the results of the study not later than June 1, 2001.  In the
event the report includes a determination that a ballistics
identification system and data base is feasible and would benefit law
enforcement, the report shall also recommend a strategy for
implementation.