California Democrats are advocating for the replacement of the existing one-time gun registration system with an annual registration mandate, which includes a fee payable to the state.
In the bill, SB 1160, the Democrats promise to utilize the fee to finance the state’s gun registration system:
“The bill would require the registrant to annually pay a fee, as specified, to be deposited into a special fund that is continuously appropriated to the department for the express purpose of carrying out the administration and enforcement of the firearm registry.”
SB 1160 will additionally establish a new initiative aimed at addressing unregistered guns:
“This bill would prohibit possession of an unregistered firearm, a violation of which would be punishable as an infraction. By creating a new infraction, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.”
California currently holds the top spot for gun control according to Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization affiliated with Mike Bloomberg.
The state enforces a variety of measures including a 10-day waiting period for gun purchases, mandatory firearm registration, prohibition of carrying firearms for self-defense on college campuses, a ban on “high capacity” magazines, regulations on “ghost guns,” a red flag law, mandates for gun storage, microstamping requirements, and controls on ammunition, among other regulations.
Moreover, despite implementing an “assault weapons” ban and universal background checks over three decades ago, California topped the nation in “active shooter incidents” in 2021.
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