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- #NowIsTheTime to make Congress hear our demand to reduce #gun violence. Help send 30K emails by midnight http://t.co/GdNtznlD
- Make sure Congress hears our demand for action to reduce #gun violence. Let's send 30,000 emails over the next 48 hours http://t.co/GdNtznlD
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California's Governor Signs Legislation To Help Track Ammunition Sales
Oct 12, 2009
Sacramento, CA – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law legislation that will help law enforcement officials track down and apprehend armed criminals and other prohibited persons. AB 962 by Assembly Member Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles) had the support of law enforcement officials from across the state and was modeled after successful city ordinances, including the cities of Sacramento and Los Angeles. AB 962 was the Brady Campaign’s top priority bill in this year’s legislature.
The law requires maintenance of purchaser records by handgun ammunition vendors. Local law enforcement can use these records to find illegal guns.
“The purchase records will provide our police officers with yet another tool to track down and apprehend armed and dangerous criminals,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
The new law also requires the safe storage of handgun ammunition in stores and that all handgun ammunition sales be completed in face-to-face transactions. Sacramento and Los Angeles have had great success over the last few years with similar city ordinances. “Law enforcement officials in both cities have had great success in tracking down violent criminals who purchased ammunition in Sacramento and Los Angeles,” said Ellen Boneparth, President of the California Brady Campaign Chapters. “Our California Brady Chapters were instrumental in urging cities to pass the local ordinances and getting strong support statewide for AB 962.”
A 2006 study by the Rand Corporation on Los Angeles’ city ordinance showed 10,050 rounds of ammunition were purchased by prohibited persons in a period of just two months. The study concluded “…monitoring ammunition transactions may help reduce the supply of ammunition to criminals and the frequency of injuries from felonious gun assaults. Such a record can also provide information for generating leads on illegal firearm possession.”
The results of the Sacramento ammunition ordinance were also striking. From January 16, 2008 to August 31, 2009, 229 prohibited people purchased ammunition of which 173 had previous felony convictions, including gang members. From the matching of ammunition purchase records to the California prohibited persons file, the Sacramento DA was able to charge 181 of the purchasers with felonies. In addition, 160 illegal firearms were seized from the prohibited persons, as well as cash, drugs, and explosive devices.
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The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.
We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.
Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.
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