NEW CALIFORNIA — Lawmakers in California are considering a bill that would allow residents to purchase handguns and other firearms without the need to get a license.
The measure is an effort by Gov.
Gavin Newsom to push the state toward gun-free zones after a string of mass shootings that left 12 people dead in California.
Newsom signed a law this week that requires anyone 18 years old or older to get an annual permit to own a gun, with a minimum of one permit for every 100 residents.
The bill was introduced on Thursday and now has 30 co-sponsors in the state Assembly.
It would also allow people who want to buy firearms to have them shipped to their home address.
The bill was sponsored by Assemblywoman Lois Romero, D-San Jose, who said the idea is to help families dealing with the stress of having children.
She also said the bill is a step toward ending the “vicious cycle” of violence that has plagued the state.
“It will save lives,” Romero said.
“It will give families peace of mind.
It will make families more secure.
It makes our communities safer.”
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D, San Francisco, has already introduced a bill to allow people to purchase guns with cash, and she said it would allow guns to be sent to the address of the purchaser.
But she said the measure will not apply to the use of cell phones and other electronic devices.
Gonzalez also said it will be difficult to enforce the bill, since the only way for law enforcement to stop a gun sale is if the firearm is stolen.
Law enforcement has already begun issuing cease-and-desist orders against people who sell or give firearms without a license, including to people who are suspected of crimes.
The new legislation would allow for people to buy a gun without a permit if they are not committing a crime, have no criminal history, or do not have a valid reason for not having a license or permit.
It does not allow for a license to purchase firearms, but would allow them to sell firearms to a licensed dealer.
Some law enforcement officials have questioned whether the measure is constitutional.
In December, the San Francisco-based Second Amendment Foundation, a gun rights advocacy group, filed a lawsuit in California state court on behalf of a California woman who wanted to buy an assault rifle and a handgun.
The lawsuit argued that the new bill violates the Second Amendment because it allows for the sale of weapons without a licensed gun dealer.
