Videotaping Gun Sales? California Lawmaker Introduces Strict New Bill
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.26.16
Imagine that the next time you purchase a firearm, your dealer will have to turn on a video camera to record the transaction in detail. That is exactly what one lawmaker in California wants for the state, and he is not stopping there. Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) introduced a new bill last week that would require all guns transactions to be video recorded, ban residential gun sales, require gun dealers to hold insurance, and give the Attorney General new powers for enforcement.
“As a local elected official, I authored successful measures to crack down on illegal gun and ammunition sales,” McCarty said in a press release. “As a State Assemblymember, I am proud to author AB 2459, which I believe will have a strong impact statewide in the effort to keep guns out of the wrong hands.”
The bill specifically requires gun dealers to have a clear recording of the customer’s face during the transaction, or to have a surveillance system of a high enough resolution to take that footage. It also bans the operation of residential gun dealers, or dealers who hold an FFL and sell firearms out of their house, as well as requiring dealers to have liability insurance. The move was applauded by gun control groups, who have long pushed for firearm transactions to be recorded.
“Firearms dealers are subject to very little federal oversight and are a major source of trafficked guns,” stated Juliet Leftwich, Legal Director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “This bill will help ensure that firearms dealers in California operate responsibly by requiring them to videotape all gun sales, obtain liability insurance and conduct business from a commercial storefront. We have worked with cities and counties throughout the state on similar laws for decades and applaud Assemblymember McCarty for his leadership in bringing this important measure to the Legislature.”
Gun owners and store owners however, have largely criticized the bill for what they viewed as a violation of privacy.
“Forcing a patron to feel like they are being recorded or what they’re doing is under a microscope, who’s already a law-abiding citizen, I don’t think it’s the right way to go,” Chris Lapinski, the owner of Last Stand Readiness and Tactical, told ABC 10.
You can see an interview with gun shop owners below:
Others said that strict rules are already in place for California gun dealers, and that the requirement of a video recording is too much. The bill will be eligible for hearings this spring.
