Senator Kevin De Leon is back with new, Anti-Airsoft Legislation - CA SB 1315

Senator Kevin De Leon is back with new, Anti-Airsoft Legislation - CA SB 1315: California Senator Kevin De Leon is back with new, Anti-Airsoft Legislation, this time taking things down to a smaller scale (at first glance).  You'll recall that Mr. De Leon was the architect behind the poorly constructed SB 798 legislation which failed passage in the House several months ago.  

Apparently he is back at it with more regulation proposals on Airsoft guns in Los Angeles county with SB 1315. 

"BILL NUMBER: SB 1315 INTRODUCED
 BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator De León

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to amend Section 53071.5 of the Government Code, relating
to imitation firearms.


 LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1315, as introduced, De León. Imitation firearms: regulation:
County of Los Angeles.
   Existing law provides that the Legislature occupies the whole
field of regulation of the manufacture, sale, or possession of
imitation firearms, as defined, and that those provisions shall
preempt and be exclusive of all regulations relating to the
manufacture, sale, or possession of imitation firearms, including
regulations governing the manufacture, sale, or possession of BB
devices and air rifles, as specified. Existing law defines "imitation
firearm" to include a "BB device" and defines a "BB device," for
specified purposes, to include any spot marker gun.
   This bill would provide an exception to those provisions by
authorizing the County of Los Angeles, or any city within the County
of Los Angeles, to enact and enforce an ordinance or resolution
regulating the manufacture, sale, possession, or use of a spot marker
gun that expels a projectile larger than 16mm.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 53071.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   53071.5.   (a)    By the  enforcement  enactment  of this section, the Legislature
occupies the whole field of regulation of the manufacture, sale, or
possession of imitation firearms, as defined in subdivision (a) of
Section 16700 of the Penal Code, and that subdivision shall preempt
and be exclusive of all regulations relating to the manufacture,
sale, or possession of imitation firearms, including regulations
governing the manufacture, sale, or possession of BB devices and air
rifles described in Section 16250 of the Penal Code. 
   (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the County of Los Angeles,
and any city within the County of Los Angeles, may enact and enforce
an ordinance or resolution regulating the manufacture, sale,
possession, or use of a spot marker gun that expels a projectile
larger than 16mm."

 
That last part there in italics is a bit confusing, but I'm guessing is actually just a typo.  It says "larger than 16mm," which would actually exclude Airsoft guns, since they only shoot 6mm projectiles, with a few exceptions in the 8mm department.  The fact that "16" and "6" when typed out are only one digit's difference from each other, plus the fact that we already know he's going after Airsoft guns, leads me to believe that "16mm" is just a typo and that I'm willing to bet somebody will amend that to say, "6mm" at some point.


This is why you need to get out and vote next time there's an election to replace this guy.  If you do a little search on the CA legislature info site, you'll see a number of bills that he's authored which are pushing (some appear successful) to impose more regulations and restrictions on gun owners of all types.  If you like guns, Senator De Leon is probably not someone you should support.

I should point out that this is not the first Anti-Airsoft legislation to pop up since the defeat of SB 798.  The great state of New Jersey is currently facing a pretty serious situation with NJ S810.  Senator Bob Smith is proposing, through NJ S810, that Airsoft guns be classified as firearms and, therefore, subject to all the wonderful laws governing such items.  Obviously, that would be all kinds of bad for all the responsible players out there who don't meet the age limit. 

So that's the word for now.  If you're wondering what you can do on your end to fight this, contact each authoring senator's office and let them know you oppose their bill (be specific about which bill you're referring to) and most importantly, BE RESPECTFUL.  Our hobby gets enough of a bad rep to the outside world as it is, don't make it worse.