More gun laws on the way in California?

SACRAMENTO -- Even with the nation's toughest gun control laws, some California legislators are seeking more restrictions following last week's deadly Connecticut shooting rampage that took the lives of 20 young children and seven adults.

Among at least four proposals, one would prohibit semi-automatic weapons like AR-15s and AK-47s from having devices known as "bullet buttons," which allow easy reloading of multi-bullet ammunition clips. Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, introduced a similar bill last year that died in the Assembly. His proposal would also prohibit add-on kits to adapt weapons for high-capacity bullet clips.

"While we cannot stop every senseless act of gun violence, surely we can strengthen our laws to limit such tragedies in the future," Yee said.

Other bills would require annual permits for ammunition purchases, mandate school safety plans and permanently deny weapons to mentally ill people.

Gun-control advocates say that a climate of permissive gun laws has made the United States one of the most violent countries in the developed world. Gun-rights groups maintain that citizens with appropriate weaponry can prevent tragedies such as the Newtown shooting because the "good guys" can kill gunmen at the first sign of a shooting spree.

California goes beyond federal law in requiring background checks on individuals who try to buy firearms at gun shops and gun shows. It also requires a 10-day waiting period for

handgun and rifle purchases.

The state has approved 45 gun-control laws since 1989, when the state became the first in the nation to ban military-style assault weapons after the slaying of five children and wounding of 29 others in a Stockton schoolyard.

Yee plans to push another bill to require yearly registration and background checks for gun ownership.

Another bill, by Sen. Kevin DeLeon, D-Los Angeles, would require a background check and permit ? with annual updates -- for anyone wishing to buy ammunition.

"For the sake of our children and the memory of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, it's time for an honest and rational debate on gun control and how to keep ammunition out of the hands of criminals," De Leon said.

Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, is relaunching a bill to firm up the school safety laws by requiring schools to establish emergency-response plans for eruptions of violence on school grounds.

"President Obama stated our first task is to care for our children," said Lieu, whose two young sons attend a public elementary school. "When children attend public school, they are in the care of the state and we better make sure they are as safe as possible."

The state does not have accurate figures on how many public schools have school-safety plans that outline emergency steps, Lieu said.

Republicans are generally opposed to gun-control laws, but Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, has a bill to keep firearms permanently out of the hands of the mentally ill.

California prohibits gun possession for anyone with a mental disorder who is found by a court to be a danger to others, or for those deemed as mentally disordered sex offenders. But, people with mental disorders can seek court approval for gun permits later. Gaines' bill would forbid them from petitioning the courts to have a gun.

"I hope everyone with any mental illness gets the treatment and rehabilitation they need to live a healthy and productive life," Gaines said. "But if the court has ruled you are a danger to others, that's it. That is your one strike. We are not going to pave the way for you to own a firearm ever again."

Contact Steven Harmon at 916-441-2101. Follow him at Twitter.com/ssharmon. Read the Political Blotter at IBAbuzz.com/politics.

Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_22225891/more-gun-laws-way-california?source=rss

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