BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2536
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2536 (Scott)
As Amended August 21, 2000
2/3 vote. Urgency
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|ASSEMBLY: |50-27|(June 1, 2000) |SENATE: |27-3 |(August 25, |
| | | | | |2000) |
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Original Committee Reference: PUB. S.
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to produce
television spots relative to the newly enacted gun laws which
seek to reduce firearm injuries and death.
The Senate amendments :
1)Clarify that the Public Service Announcement (PSA) include
information regarding a gun owner's responsibilities for safe
storage of a firearm.
2)Prohibit elected officials from being identified in the PSAs,
but allow the DOJ to be identified as the producer.
3)Appropriate $125,000 from the General Fund (GF).
4)Require DOJ to seek airtime to broadcast PSAs.
5)Allow DOJ to seek funding to purchase airtime for PSAs.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires DOJ to develop and implement minimum safety standards
for firearms safety devices and gun safes, and mandates that
all firearms manufactured in California or sold or transferred
by a licensed firearms dealer be accompanied by an approved
firearms safety device.
2)Prohibits a person from applying for more than one concealable
firearm within a 30-day period.
3)Makes numerous changes to the laws regulating gun shows, gun
show promoters and vendors via the Gun Show Enforcement and
Security Act of 2000.
AB 2536
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4)Makes possession of a concealed or loaded firearm an alternate
misdemeanor/felony under certain circumstances and requires
DOJ to keep an electronic record in its firearms registry of
firearms owners.
5)Creates a judicial procedure to determine if a person who has
been taken into custody and admitted for treatment because
that person is a danger to himself, herself, or others may
possess, own, control or purchase a firearm.
6)Makes it a misdemeanor for any person in California to
manufacture, import for sale, offer for sale, sell, give, or
lend any "unsafe handgun," as defined, with certain specific
exceptions.
7)Adds a "generic" definition of assault weapons to the Assault
Weapons Control Act of 1989; makes manufacturing, importing,
selling, lending, or giving of a large-capacity magazine
(i.e., any ammunition feeding device with a capacity to accept
more than 10 rounds) an alternate felony/misdemeanor with
specified exceptions; and makes numerous related changes.
8)Requires DOJ to develop and implement minimum safety standards
for firearms safety devices and gun safes, and mandates that
all firearms manufactured in California or sold or transferred
by a licensed firearms dealer be accompanied by an approved
firearms safety device and be accompanied by a safety warning
label or language, as specified.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required DOJ to produce
television public announcements in English and Spanish aimed at
reducing firearm injury and death.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriates $125,000 from the GF.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "In 1999, the Legislature
passed and Governor Davis signed into law eight bills placing
new regulations on firearms. As these new laws come into
effect, significant need has been expressed to provide training
to target law enforcement, firearm dealers, and the public in
the area of the recent changes in California firearm laws.
"This need has been expressed in legislative hearings, public
hearings, and meeting with law enforcement and firearm dealers.
AB 2536
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Additional evidence of this need is the more than 4,600
telephone calls received monthly regarding newly enacted
legislation and the law in general. In addition, because
California recently enacted these eight measures, there is a
need to assess that they are being correctly implement and their
immediate effect on gun commerce and gun crime."
Please see the policy committee analysis for a more
comprehensive discussion of this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Fredericka McGee / PUB. S. / (916)
319-3744
FN: 0006413