As Several Gun Laws Go into Effect, Newsom Calls for More

As Sacramento’s 2019 legislative calendar is set to kick off in just over two weeks, a plethora of new gun laws will being going into effect while Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom insists “we have to do more.”

Stemming from a major uptick in gun violence which is now becoming an epidemic, country-wide mass shootings have prompted one of the nation’s bluest states to increase its already highly restrictive gun purchasing policies.

While Newsom has already stated in past media appearances that he would have gone much further to sign many bills that current Governor Jerry Brown did not, today the previous San Francisco Mayor and Lt. Governor said we are going in “the right direction, but we have to do more.”

Also added in his statement that was referring to President Trump’s plan to ban bump stocks, Newsom said, “we cannot allow the NRA to purchase our politicians and laws. We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our children and our communities. We need comprehensive gun reform now.”

A step in the right direction — but we have to do MORE.

We cannot allow the @NRA to purchase our politicians & laws. We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our children & our communities.

We need comprehensive gun reform. NOW. https://t.co/1cYRuERKbu

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 20, 2018

Last year, California moved to enact a law that banned the manufacture and sale of bump stock and burst trigger devices, however, for Newsom this may not be enough. Specifically, SB 1346 authored by State Senator Hannah Beth-Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) outlawed the device which essentially enables a semi-automatic firearm to shoot in rapid-fire bursts similar to a fully automatic weapon.

Furthermore, set to go into effect next month are AB 3129 and SB 1100. AB 3129 prohibits anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic abuse crime from ever owing a gun while, SB 1100 raises the age for purchasing a long gun – shotgun or rifle, to 21. Authored by Sen. Anthony Portantino, that law excludes military members and police officers.

Now that any opposition from Republicans is fundamentally obsolete in Sacramento following a November election that handed Democrats a supermajority in the legislature, we can expect Newsom to help guide and champion many more bills that will look to prevent shootings.

Newsom hasn’t given any specific policy details, however after his swearing in on January 7^th, we should expect many similar gun bills to arise.