Lt. Governor Newsom proposes gun control

According to the poll, 60 percent of state Democrats favor Newsom, as do voters in Northern California, where Newsom leads at 52 percent.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a candidate for governor in 2018, is throwing himself into one of the thorniest issues facing the state and nation by introducing a gun-control ballot measure to require background checks for ammunition purchases and surrender large-capacity magazines.

The strict ammunition rule follows a similar New York law passed shortly after the 2012 shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that was suspended several months ago. It comes in the wake of high-profile killings nationwide and three recent San Francisco Bay Area killings in which the shooters allegedly used stolen guns to commit the crimes.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Amy Hunter says Newsom’s effort seeks to chip away at Second Amendment rights.

Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to launch today a statewide ballot campaign to require ammunition buyers to undergo instant background checks as gun-control advocates increasingly expand their focus beyond guns to ammo.

If adopted, the proposal Newsom planned to release Thursday would make California the first state in the nation to require background checks at the point of sale for ammunition, although other states require purchasers to obtain licenses and go through background checks ahead of time.

“For decades, California has been leading the country through the passage of smart gun laws that save lives, and this initiative continues that leadership by keeping guns and ammunition out of the wrong hands”, she said in his news release.

– Felons must relinquish weapons: California courts would set up a clear process to relinquish weapons. California would join 11 other states in requiring that lost or stolen firearms be reported to law enforcement. “You can’t sell or manufacture those magazines in California, but for a few reason we’ve allowed people to possess them”. Newsom made his announcement in San Francisco near the site of a 1993 gun massacre that helped spur federal restrictions on assault weapons.

That survey found 61 percent thought stronger gun control was more important than gun rights; 34 percent said gun rights were more important.