Legislation to require ammunition buyers in California to purchase annual permits was unveiled today, one of a series of bills surfacing in the aftermath of last week's Connecticut schoolhouse massacre.
"I, for one, have had it," Sen. Kevin de León said in emphasizing his commitment to keep tragedies like that at Sandy Hook Elementary School from ever happening in California.
De León's proposal would require ammunition buyers to acquire an annual permit and undergo a background check. The permit is expected to cost about $50.
California currently requires people to own a permit in order to hunt or fish, but it places no conditions on the purchase of unlimited amounts of ammunition, he said.
Online ammunition purchasers, under de León's proposal, would be required to pick up the merchandise at a retail business, such as a bait shop. A thumbprint and identification would have to be provided, de León said.
The Los Angeles Democrat conceded that his bill would not prevent Californians from traveling to Nevada, Oregon, Washington or other states to purchase large amounts of ammunition.
But de León said his bill could serve as a national model. He plans to contact lawmakers in neighboring states to tighten their laws. And it's important for California to do whatever it can to keep weapons from unstable people, he said.
Read more at Sacramento Bee
