California bill would allow citizens enforce the ban on weapons
SAN DIEGO, CA (AP) -- California's new law would allow private citizens to pursue gun manufacturers in California in the same manner that Texas allows them to target abortion providers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom backed Friday's legislation to allow private citizens to enforce the state ban on assault weapons. This bill is modeled on a Texas law which allows private citizens to enforce the state's ban against abortions once a fetal beat has been detected.
Newsom stated that he hopes the proposal will force the U.S. Supreme Court to take action on Texas' abortion law. He stated that it would expose their "hypocrisy," if they block California's proposal to affect the gun industry, and not Texas' abortion law.
Newsom stated, "Or it will get them to reconsider their previous decision." He added: "There's no principled reason the U.S. Supreme Court can uphold this California law." None. Absolute. It's literally modeled on the Texas law.
Texas and other conservative-leaning states have attempted for years to ban abortions after a heartbeat is detected. This is usually around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, the courts have blocked the attempts of the states to ban abortions.
Texas's new abortion law is different in that it prohibits the government from enforcing it. It is believed that if the government cannot enforce the law, it won't be able to sue to stop it from being enforced in court. This has not stopped abortion providers trying to block the law. The conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court has so far allowed the abortion law to remain in place while it is challenged.
Newsom and his Democratic colleagues in the state Legislature were furious at this decision. California has been banning the sale and manufacture of assault weapons for many decades. A federal judge overturned the ban last year. The law remains in force while the state appeals this decision.
The decision inspired Newsom, Democrats in the state Legislature, to copy Texas' abortion laws but to make them apply to gun manufacturers instead of to abortion providers.
The proposal's author, Democratic state senator Bob Hertzberg, stated that "What's good for one goose is good for another." "I look forward rushing a bill to the governor to take advantage of this United States Supreme Court guidance."
Gunowners rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of California, did not respond immediately.
Some gun rights groups were concerned that liberal states such as California might use the same principle of guns and have opposed the Texas abortion law.
Attorney Erik Jaffe, representing the Firearms Policy Coalition (a non-profit group advocating for gun rights), wrote that Texas will succeed in its strategy.
The California bill has yet to be filed in the state Legislature. Hertzberg's office provided a fact sheet that stated the bill would be applicable to all who produce, distribute, transport or import assault weapons into California.
Ghost guns are weapons that can be purchased online and then assembled at home. Ghost guns don't come with serial numbers making it difficult to track them down.
This bill would allow people to seek a court order to prevent the spread of these weapons, and to recover damages up to $10,000 for each weapon.
The California Republican Party and Republican legislators did not immediately respond to our inquiries.
This bill is just one of four that are being considered to reform the California gun industry. Other bills would make assault weapons illegal for children to sell, make it easier to sue gun makers for liability in shooting incidents, and crack down ghost guns.
Newsom stated that he has no problem with gun owners or guns. "I have a serious problem with gun violence."
