Crime & Safety

Gun Control Legislation Announced By State Senate Dem Leaders

Bills aim to reduce gun violence throughout California.

A group of state senate democrats, law enforcement officials, and gun safety advocates announced this week in Sacramento a set of bills aiming to reduce gun violence throughout the state.

The legislative package includes bills that propose closing loopholes in existing gun regulations, banning the circulation of firearms and ammunition from dangerous people, keeping weapons in the hands of responsible gun users, and strengthening education about safe gun ownership.

The 10 state legislative actions were introduced Thursday in seven bill proposals, including bills authored by state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo.

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Yee has proposed a bill that would require assault weapons to have a 10-round limit and to only have fixed magazines that must be reloaded one-by-one from the top of the weapon.

Another bill would require guns to be properly stored in a lock box when the owner is not present.

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Yee also plans to introduce legislation affecting county programs that work with dangerous mentally ill patients.

State leaders unveiled these and other proposals hoping to create tougher gun laws in the wake of the deadly Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December.

Since the mass shooting, President Obama has called on Congress to pass measures to reduce gun violence including implementing universal background checks, banning military-style assault weapons and limiting high-capacity ammunition magazines.

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