For Immediate Release: March 7, 2013
BILL TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE PASSES SENATE FLOOR
SACRAMENTO, CA –Senate Bill 140, legislation aimed to better protect communities from illegal gun ownership, passed the Senate today with bi-partisan support. Following its passage, Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) released the following statement:
“SB 140 is about accountability and preventing gun violence by ensuring that illegally possessed firearms are taken off the streets and out of the hands of potentially dangerous people who are barred from possessing them, “said Correa.
The Bureau of Firearms has identified 19,784 Californians who illegally possess an estimated 40,000 handguns and assault weapons. Every day, this list of prohibited persons owning firearms grows by 15 to 20. SB 140 would allow the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use reserve funds from the Dealer Record of Sale account to enforce the department’s existing Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS) program. The amount of funding provided to the DOJ will be determined on an evidence-based need.
“Our reinvestment in this statewide identification program will help eliminate a troubling backlog and growing mountain of illegal weapons, which threatens public safety in our communities and prevents us from enforcing existing firearms laws,” said Correa.
SB 140 was introduced by Senator Mark Leno and Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg as an urgency measure. The bill passed the Senate Floor 31-0. The bill now awaits further action in the State Assembly.
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