California Legislature Considering Ammunition Background Check Bill

“In California, to buy a product that has the potential to maim or kill another human being, you can walk into any gun store and buy all the ammunition you like," says Democratic State Senator Kevin de Lèon, who authored the bill. "You can fill a U-Haul truck, no questions asked.” 

He says his bill would provide commonsense safeguards to the sale of a potentially lethal product and give law enforcement a useful tracking tool.

“We have no regulations whatsoever," he says. "We don’t know who buys it. We don’t know who sells it. And that’s simply wrong.” 

Gun advocates' groups say the measure puts unfair restrictions on lawful purchases.

“The new vendor requirements would basically limit the opportunity for Californians to exercise their rights,” says Brandon Combs with the Cal Guns Foundation.

De Lèon tried before in the Assembly in 2008 with legislation that would have required background checks on hand gun ammunition only. That version failed in the Senate.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee is considering the current bill. Gov. Jerry Brown’s office is working with Senator de Lèon on drafting the latest bill.