Cheshire Cat Photo Blog(...said the Cat: 'we're all mad here....')

Update added October 18, 2009: Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed SB 585 and signed AB 962 into law!)

(Update added September 11, 2009: You can also phone and fax Governor Schwarzenegger to veto BOTH AB 962 and SB 585 [email link is further down] with the Governor’s contact information below:

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:  (916) 445-2841
Fax:      (916) 558-3160 (new number) )

(Update added September 11, 2009: I received an update from an elected official today, part of which is quoted directly below:

“After a push by the democratic leadership in the State Senate, Assembly Bill 962 and Senate Bill 585 passed yesterday afternoon with the bare-minimum 21 votes.  No member of the Senate Republican Caucus voted to pass either bill.

Assembly Bill 962 (De Leon), a bill relating to ammunition, is similar to Assembly Bill 2062 (2008) and Assembly Bill 362 (2007) by the same author.  AB 962 passed the full Assembly on June 3 by a vote of 42-31 and was passed by the Senate on September 10 by a vote of 21 to 18.  The bill will return to the Assembly for a concurrence vote.

AB 962 is a far-reaching measure which implements extensive reporting and record-keeping requirements for all licensed gun dealers who sell handgun ammunition.  The bill also requires handgun ammunition sales to occur in face-to-face transactions, effectively prohibiting internet sales to residents of California.  The requirements listed in this measure are impractical and would do more to inconvenience lawful gun owners more than deter criminals.  Prior versions of the bill outlawed the transfer of more than 50 rounds of handgun ammunition in a month; however, that provision was removed from the final version of the bill.”

The official believes that BOTH [not just SB 585] bills will reach Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk. You can ask for the Governor’s veto at the Web site linked below.)

(Update added September 10, 2009: SB 585, banning gun shows at the Cow Palace in Daly City has passed out of the State Senate on a 21 Yes to 18 No vote. You can email Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, asking for his veto of SB 585 (and of AB 962, restricting ammunition sales, if it makes it to his desk) at this Web address. AB 962 currently awaits a vote by the State Senate. You can contact your State Senator to OPPOSE AB 962.)

(Note added September 9, 2009: SB 585, the Cow Palace Gun Show ban, failed its first vote on the Assembly floor by a 39 Yes to 25 No vote. The bill is “on call” and can come up for another try at any moment. You might ask me, “What kind of rinky-dink state are they running in California, anyway?” I would be hard-pressed for an answer. )

(Important and urgent UPDATE September 4, 2009: The two bills discussed below are very much ALIVE. AB 962 is on the floor of the State Senate, awaiting a vote; SB 585 is on the floor of the State Assembly, awaiting a vote.  The current session of the California Legislature ends at midnight, Friday, September 11. The Legislature is notorious for ramming through unpopular legislation in the final days and hours of a session, hoping to pass such legislation without debate. [Which makes me wonder, in a “representative democracy,” just WHOM some of the Legislators think that they are representing?] If the bills are important to you [and you are a Californian ], please PHONE your State Senator about AB 962 and your State Assemblyperson about SB 585 NOW and continue pressure through the close of the current session.)

Awhile ago, I lamented the fact that the California Legislature seemed fixated on passing anti-Second Amendment legislation (even zombie bills that seem like the “living dead”), rather than doing its job and passing a budget.

Well, they finally passed a budget, which will almost assuredly need to be “fine-tuned.” It will also, assuredly, be very painful.

Today I noticed, in yesterday’s Web site statistics, that there were 20 visitors to my Web site from the zip code that represents the State Capitol in Sacramento, and that this article, about goofy California legislation. had received a HUGE number of hits and was the most popular past blog entry on my site. Odd, since the entry was from June….

Today I learned why, after receiving an email from a representative in Sacramento this evening. I updated the original blog entry with the information below, and made some other contacts:

(UPDATE July 28, 2009: Well it looks like the Senate committee wasted no time after passing a state budget, in PASSING SB 585, which would ban gun sales at the Cow Palace in Daly City (legislation in search of a problem). This bill was DEFEATED last year, but returned zombie-like this year [no, not the kind of zombies that Windows PCs become]. Who ELECTS these people, anyway? You can search for the status of bills in the State Senate HERE. The email that I received stated that SB 585 must pass the full Assembly, but pessimistically predicted that it would wind up on the Governor’s desk. If the bill makes it that far, you can contact the Governor here.)

(Note added July 29, 2009: SB 585 not only passed Senate committes, but also the entire State Senate and the Assembly committees. The bill is currently on the floor awaiting a final vote by the entire Assembly. Please contact your Assembly representative and ask your rep to oppose SB 585. If the bill goes to the Governor, please ask for his veto.)

(Note added August 15, 2009: I got a notification about SB 585 and AB 962 this week and phoned my Assemblyperson. I asked her to oppose both bills. In California, the State Legislature often waits until the end of its session and tries to “sneak bills through” when they think that nobody is watching.) (Note added August 30, 2009: …which tells you a little bit about the QUALITY of the legislation and how much it actually represents the WILL of the people of the state of California.)

(Update added August 29, 2009: Both bills are still very much alive. AB 962, which would severely restrict ammunition sales and requires fingerprinting for ammunition purchasers [Note added August 30, 2009: Unfortunately, California does not seem to do quite as good a job with the information it gathers about its registered sex offenders/convicted kidnappers.], has been sent to the full Senate for a vote. SB 585, which would ban gun shows at the Cow Palace in Daly City is on the Assembly floor awaiting a vote by the full Assembly. Please call, fax, and email your own and every other State Senator/Assemblyperson if these bills are important to you.)

(Update added August 30, 2009: Back on August 28, I emailed all State Senators to oppose AB 962 and all Assemblymembers to oppose SB 585. If you care about the incremental erosion of your liberties in California, you might want to do the same.)

People in other states – this is how state government “works” in California, one of several reasons that California laws have often become objects of national ridicule.

Try to make government work better in your state.

-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo™

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