State Bill Raises Privacy, Second Amendment Right Concerns (September 2009) PDF Print

As you may know, the California State Legislature recently passed legislation, AB 962, mandating that all retail handgun ammunition sales be made “face-to-face.” This would prohibit online or mail purchases of ammunition. It would also require that all buyers of ammunition fill out registration paperwork and be fingerprinted at the point of purchase. The bill has been sent to Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk, and he is now deciding whether to veto it or sign it into law.

While AB 962 is a state bill, I am very concerned about the impact of this legislation on our Second Amendment rights, and I believe it merits attention by federal elected officials because if enacted it would disrupt interstate commerce, prevent Californians from participating in a federal marksmanship program, and infringe on Californians’ constitutionally-protected right to bear arms. As such, and as a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I wrote and circulated among the other members of the California delegation a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger, signed by thirteen U.S. Representatives from California, urging him to veto this bill.

I believe it is incredibly unfortunate that the state legislature decided to resurrect a failed federal ammunition registration program at the state level. While proponents believe this type of program will prevent ammunition from reaching the hands of criminals, history has already demonstrated that it is not successful in preventing criminals from breaking federal or state laws and only serves to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding citizens. I urge Governor Schwarzenegger to stand up for Second Amendment rights and will continue to fight in Congress to protect this cherished right.