Calif gov Schwarzenegger signs ammo-registration bill into law

[Little-Acorn]

Well, looks like the PRCalifornia authorities have become frustrated with the slow pace of their violations of the 2nd amendment. Though they have succeeded in banning and even confiscating a few weapons, they seem to feel that they can disarm people more effectively by restricting sales of ammunition. After all, the 2nd amendment doesn't mention bullets, does it?

Now, anyone who wants to buy ammunition, will be treated like suspects in a criminal case. The purchase will be held up; they will be required to fill out numerous papers; have their ID and fingerprpints taken, and have them sent to police, who are now authorized to keep them indefinitely. (Even the Federal forms we are require to fill out to buy a gun, are not sent to police)

I especially liked Schwarzenegger's comment about what this law will do, and his careful qualification of his praise. "Utilized properly, this type of information is invaluable for keeping communities safe ...."

Very good, Ahnold. And if it's not utilized properly...?? I don't suppose you're worried that a government that gets too disagreeably big, might want to know which Calif residents have certain size guns, are practicing with those guns, and where the government can find them "when it feels it's necessary", are you? No, I guess you just can't imagine any government getting "too disagreeably big", can you.

BTW, remember back when laws were passed saying that people buying cold medicine like Sudafed, ahd to fill out registration papers and the medicine had to be kept in areas away from the buying public? Some conservatives complained that this was (a) ridiculous; and (b) set a dangerous precedent of government expanding their control over more and more innocuous things, all because criminals might use some of it in crimes. Big-govt leftists pooh-poohed the idea, and lambasted the conservatives for being paranoid anti-govt "haters". Don't be silly, they said, there's no reason to think govt will expand such restrictions.

That was then, this is now. Have a look at the written explanation from Schwarzenegger justifying his signing this "ammo registration" bill (highlighted below). Sure enough, he says that since the old Sudafed-registration laws didn't intrude very much, that makes it OK to sign this ammo-registration law, because it won't intrude any more than that one did... just in a different field.

Trust a liberal, and what do you get? More liberalism, more laws, more government, in places you never thought you'd find it.

------------------------------------

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=68596&catid=2

Ammunition Bill Signed into Law

by Trevor Tamsen 45 mins ago

SACRAMENTO, CA - Before the midnight deadline, Gov. Schwarzenegger acted on 685 bills that were on his desk. He signed 456 and vetoed 229.

One of the bills that he signed was Assembly Bill 962. It requires handgun ammunition to be kept behind the counter where customers cannot access it without assistance. It also requires gun shop owners to thumbprint people who buy handgun ammunition, as well as record their identification and provide that information to police.

Schwarzenegger released a statement explaining why he signed the bill.

"To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am signing Assembly Bill 962.

This measure would require vendors of handgun ammunition to keep a log of information on handgun ammunition sales, store ammunition in a safe and secure manner, and require the face-to-face transfer of ammunition sales.

Although I have previously vetoed legislation similar to this measure, local governments have demonstrated that requiring ammunition vendors to keep records on ammunition sales improves public safety. These records have allowed law enforcement to arrest and prosecute persons who have no business possessing firearms and ammunition: gang members, violent parolees, second and third strikers, and even people previously serving time in state prison for murder.

Utilized properly, this type of information is invaluable for keeping communities safe and preventing dangerous felons from committing crimes with firearms.

Moreover, this type of record keeping is no more intrusive for law abiding citizens than similar laws governing pawnshops or the sale of cold medicine. Unfortunately, even the most successful local program is flawed; without a statewide law, felons can easily skirt the record keeping requirements of one city by visiting another. Assembly Bill 962 will fix this problem by mandating that all ammunition vendors in the state keep records on ammunition sales.

[Little-Acorn]

BTW, I've had a few people tell me that laws like this, are meant only to crack down on criminals, people who would use the products illegally and criminally.

Their trust in government is touching. And misguided. How long will it be before someone who buys ammo for his teenager's .22 plinker, finds the same kind of "mistake" coming his way?

There's a reason why governments are not given too much power... or they used to not be.

----------------------------------

http://reason.com/blog/2009/09/28/hoosier-grandmother-arrested-f

Hoosier Grandmother Arrested for Buying Cold Medication

Radley Balko | September 28, 2009

Last March, Sally Harpold, an Indiana grandmother of triplets, bought two boxes of cold medication in less than a week. Together, the two boxes contained 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine, putting her in violation of the state's methamphetamine-fighting law, which forbids the purchase of more than three grams by one person in a seven-day period.

Police came to Harpold's home, arrested and handcuffed her, and booked her in a Vermillion County jail. No one believes Harpold was making meth or aiding anyone who was. But local authorities aren't apologizing for her arrest.

“I don’t want to go there again,” [Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina] Alexander told the Tribune-Star, recalling how the manufacture and abuse of methamphetamine ravaged the tiny county and its families.

While the law was written with the intent of stopping people from purchasing large quantities of drugs to make methamphetamine, the law does not say the purchase must be made with the intent to make meth.

“The law does not make this distinction,” Alexander said...

Just as with any law, the public has the responsibility to know what is legal and what is not, and ignorance of the law is no excuse, the prosecutor said.

“I’m simply enforcing the law as it was written,” Alexander said...

It is up to customers to pay attention to their purchase amounts, and to check medication labels, Alexander said.

“If you take these products, you ought to know what’s in them,” she said.

Harpold's photo was put on the front page of the local paper as part of an article about the arrest of 17 people in a "drug sweep." Alexander has generously allowed Harpold to enter a deferral program. If she commits no crimes in the next 30 days, her arrest will be wiped from her record. She'll still have to pay court costs and attorney fees.

I'll leave it to Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel to (unintentionally) put an exclamation point on the absurdity.

“Sometimes mistakes happen,” Marvel said. “It’s unfortunate. But for the good of everyone, the law was put into effect.

“I feel for her, but if she could go to one of the area hospitals and see a baby born to a meth-addicted mother …”

Because clearly the best way to prevent meth-addicted babies is to arrest women who buy cold medication for their grandchildren.

[hjmick]

I'm getting out of here just in time.

[darin]

Every instance of the "California" commercial that runs nauseates me. I honestly fear for the few GOOD ppl left in that state. Frankly, I doubt there are enough good folk there to vote idiots like Gov. S. out of office - along with every member of congress who supported this bullshit.

[avatar4321]

I'm getting out of here just in time.

Where are you heading?

[hjmick]

Where are you heading?

Albuquerque and the land of open carry. New Mexico, where your car is an extension of your home and a concealed loaded gun in the car is legal. The land of enchantment indeed...

[CSM]

This is just too funny! I mean the gun laws worked so well that registering purchases of ammo seems like an even better idea ... because the criminals will follow the law like they do for gun registration. I am starting to really believe that one has to have two qualifications to become a politician:

1. A large quantity of other peoples money must be on hand to run a campaign.

2. One must have the IQ of a rock to think up legislation that will accomplish little except create a black market (call it "jobs for criminals") and limit individual freedoms.

I suppose that #2 is what they mean when they say the government (state or federal!) creates jobs.

[Trigg]

BTW, I've had a few people tell me that laws like this, are meant only to crack down on criminals, people who would use the products illegally and criminally.

Their trust in government is touching. And misguided. How long will it be before someone who buys ammo for his teenager's .22 plinker, finds the same kind of "mistake" coming his way?

There's a reason why governments are not given too much power... or they used to not be.

----------------------------------

http://reason.com/blog/2009/09/28/hoosier-grandmother-arrested-f

Hoosier Grandmother Arrested for Buying Cold Medication

Radley Balko | September 28, 2009

Last March, Sally Harpold, an Indiana grandmother of triplets, bought two boxes of cold medication in less than a week. Together, the two boxes contained 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine, putting her in violation of the state's methamphetamine-fighting law, which forbids the purchase of more than three grams by one person in a seven-day period.

Police came to Harpold's home, arrested and handcuffed her, and booked her in a Vermillion County jail. No one believes Harpold was making meth or aiding anyone who was. But local authorities aren't apologizing for her arrest.

“I don’t want to go there again,” [Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina] Alexander told the Tribune-Star, recalling how the manufacture and abuse of methamphetamine ravaged the tiny county and its families.

While the law was written with the intent of stopping people from purchasing large quantities of drugs to make methamphetamine, the law does not say the purchase must be made with the intent to make meth.

“The law does not make this distinction,” Alexander said...

Just as with any law, the public has the responsibility to know what is legal and what is not, and ignorance of the law is no excuse, the prosecutor said.

“I’m simply enforcing the law as it was written,” Alexander said...

It is up to customers to pay attention to their purchase amounts, and to check medication labels, Alexander said.

“If you take these products, you ought to know what’s in them,” she said.

Harpold's photo was put on the front page of the local paper as part of an article about the arrest of 17 people in a "drug sweep." Alexander has generously allowed Harpold to enter a deferral program. If she commits no crimes in the next 30 days, her arrest will be wiped from her record. She'll still have to pay court costs and attorney fees.

I'll leave it to Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel to (unintentionally) put an exclamation point on the absurdity.

“Sometimes mistakes happen,” Marvel said. “It’s unfortunate. But for the good of everyone, the law was put into effect.

“I feel for her, but if she could go to one of the area hospitals and see a baby born to a meth-addicted mother …”

Because clearly the best way to prevent meth-addicted babies is to arrest women who buy cold medication for their grandchildren.

Common sense is dying a low death in this country. Another example are the no tolerance laws that have recently lead to the expulsion of a 6 year old for bringing a camp fork to school.