Senator Feinstein will introduce much more aggressive gun ban in 2013
It will never pass. Or at least it should not. But I am quickly losing faith in the courage of our conservative Representatives.
Senator Dianne Feinstein is putting together legislation that could be called the Assault Weapons Ban 2.0 that would take two steps forward after the one step back she suffered when the previous legislation expired.
It is early yet, and all we have to go on is what is on her website. But what we have is concerning enough, and whatever the outcome of the vote and discussion it indicates the direction any future actions will take.
Of most interest are the following points about the bill from her website:
- Bans 120 specifically-named firearms – No indication yet of what those are
- Bans “Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one or more military characteristics” – again, we can only speculate at this point what that would include. But I could interpret that statement to include the popular Glock handguns.
- Moving from a 2-characteristic test to a 1-characteristic test – To me this means that any gun that fails her just one of her tests becomes illegal
Her website says that gun owners to keep their existing guns but “requires that grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act, to include:
- Background check of owner and any transferee;
- Type and serial number of the firearm;
- Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
- Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
- Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration.
As of this writing, the full outline of her bill was on her official Senate website HERE. These things change quickly, but here is what it said as of December 27:
Summary of 2013 legislation
Following is a summary of the 2013 legislation:
- Bans the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacturing of:
- 120 specifically-named firearms;
- Certain other semiautomatic rifles, handguns, shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and have one or more military characteristics; and
- Semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds.
- Strengthens the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and various state bans by:
- Moving from a 2-characteristic test to a 1-characteristic test;
- Eliminating the easy-to-remove bayonet mounts and flash suppressors from the characteristics test; and
- Banning firearms with “thumbhole stocks” and “bullet buttons” to address attempts to “work around” prior bans.
- Bans large-capacity ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds.
- Protects legitimate hunters and the rights of existing gun owners by:
- Grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment;
- Exempting over 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting or sporting purposes; and
- Exempting antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons.
- Requires that grandfathered weapons be registered under the National Firearms Act, to include:
- Background check of owner and any transferee;
- Type and serial number of the firearm;
- Positive identification, including photograph and fingerprint;
- Certification from local law enforcement of identity and that possession would not violate State or local law; and
- Dedicated funding for ATF to implement registration.
This is a ploy to make government androids feel good and secure, while not addressing the problem. The day we lost 20 innocent children in Sandy Hook, China, experienced the slashing of 22 school kids by a mad man. It was only about eight months earlier that a doctor entered a Chinese school and with a knife killed eight children. It is not politically correct to recognize evil in this country. Is it innocense that evil is trying to destroy?