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The Gun Bills: What Gov. Brown Signed

By William Peacock, Esq. on October 14, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

You can't please everyone, but you sure can tick 'em all off. On Friday, Governor Jerry Brown finally addressed that stack of anti-gun legislation that has been sitting on his desk. And in true middle-of-the-road fashion, he signed some, while sending others to the round file.

What are the new gun laws that have some calling for recall efforts? Read on to find out.

Signed

AB 711: The biggest bill that Gov. Brown signed, per his legislative update, was the ban on lead ammunition for hunting. The bill expands the current requirement to use non-lead ammo on some game, such as coyote, to all wildlife.

In his lengthy signing note, Gov. Brown first noted that hunters have been the country's biggest conservationists, and that this advances that goal. He also noted that the bill was amended to delay implementing the regulation to allow more time for hunters to transition, and to provide a provision to suspend the law in case federal law makes non-lead ammo illegal (due to its armor-piercing characteristics).

AB 48: Bans the sale of "repair" kits used to convert magazines to hold more than ten rounds but does notban possession of existing high-capacity magazines (more than 10 rounds) that were previously grandfathered-in with 1999's ban, as that part of the law was made contingent on the passing of another piece of legislation (which failed).

AB 231: Adds misdemeanor third degree criminal storage of a firearm to the books, which punishes negligent storage of a loaded firearm where a person knows, or reasonably should know, that a child is likely to gain access to it without parental permission.

AB 500: Allows the dealer and the DOJ to delay a sale beyond ten days, up to thirty, if records indicate that the purchaser is ineligible due to a mental health hold, pending criminal charges, or if that person is attempting to purchase more than one gun in 30 days.

AB 170: Corporations can be people, except then they wish to purchase an assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle.

AB 538: Makes clarifications to open carry law and the rules applicable to transfers of firearms by law enforcement.

AB 539: Those prohibited from owning a firearm (temporarily, such as during pending case or mental hold) can store their firearms with a licensed dealer.

AB 1131: Increases the amount of time one is prohibited from owning a gun after making a "credible threat of violence" from six months to five years, though it also allows for a court order to restore rights earlier.

SB 127: Psychotherapists must report serious threats of violence to law enforcement within 24 hours, who then have 24 hours to notify the DOJ.

SB 363: Changes to when fees are due from gun manufacturers, expands criminal storage of a firearm in the second degree offense.

SB 683: Requires all rifle, pistol, and shotgun buyers to pass a safety test before purchase. Present law only requires such a test for handguns.

Reaction

The San Francisco Chronicle has coverage of the right's reaction to the bills that did pass, with Jennifer Kerns, one of the consultants behind the Colorado recalls, expressing relief that the "draconian" ban on semi-automatic rifles was vetoed, but warning that the other bills could have an impact on the governor's approval rating or on recall elections for state lawmakers who voted for the lengthy list of bills.

As for the other stack, we'll have more on the vetoed bills, which caused left-leaning groups to state that the governor has "blood on his hands," later this week.

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