SB-1446 Changes the law pertaining to large capacity magazines

Anytime most of us see a new gun law, we automatically panic, thinking that our rights are being taken away. I understand that reaction. In fact, just this evening I saw a note on facebook listing several bills that have been sent to the Governor for signature, asking us to contact the Governor to urge him to veto them. For most of these bills, I would urge the Governor to veto them.

Here is that list of bills:

SB 880 (Hall): Bans common and constitutionally protected firearms that have magazine locking devices. Signed by the Governor
SB 1235 (de Leon): Requires background check to buy ammunition. Now competes with Gavin Newsom’s Safety for All Act/Ammo Ban. Signed by the Governor
SB 1446 (Hancock): Confiscation of lawfully acquired, standard capacity ammunition feeding devices. Signed by the Governor
AB 1695 (Bonta): Makes some non-violent misdemeanors punishable by prohibitions on owning firearms. Signed by the Governor
AB 1511 (Santiago): Bans the loaning of firearms. Signed by the Governor
AB 1135, Amending the definition of assault weapon to include semi-automatic rifles with magazines that can be detached with a button. Signed by the Governor
SB 894 (Jackson): Re-victimizes victims by criminalizing the failure to report lost and stolen firearms. Vetoed by Governor
AB 1664 (Levine): Bans common and constitutionally protected firearms that have magazine locking devices. Vetoed by Governor
AB 1673 (Gipson): Redefines “firearms” to include items that are not firearms. Vetoed by Governor
AB 1674 (Santiago): Bans buying more than one firearm within a 30-day period. Vetoed by Governor
AB 2607 (Ting): Dramatically expands who can request a Gun Violence Restraining order. Vetoed by Governor
AB 857 (Cooper): Forced “Ghost Gun” registration.
AB 156 (McCarty): Forced ammunition registration.

So, I started reading them. The first one was SB-1446 which deals with large capacity magazines. Surprisingly, I did not find myself as upset as I expected over this new law, probably because it exempts retired sworn peace officers. If I were not a retired sworn peace officer, I might have been up in arms.

Here is what I see:

The first thing it does is makes the crime a fine based infraction and no longer a misdemeanor or felony.
The second thing it does is exempt federal law enforcement officers from this prohibition. California peace officers were already exempt.
Third, it exempts honorably retired sworn peace officers, defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 from this prohibition.

To me, this new law fixes a major problem with the large capacity magazine law that was put in place just a few years ago by reducing the level of crime to an infraction and by exempting retired peace officers. Please read the info below and if you agree with my review, ask the Governor to sign it. If I missed something, please let me know.

The full change of the law is found below.
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SECTION 1.

Section 32310 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32310.

(a) Except as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 32400) of this chapter and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2 of Title 2, commencing January 1, 2000, any person in this state who manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives, lends, buys, or receives any large-capacity magazine is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.

(b) Except as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 32400) of this chapter and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2 of Title 2, commencing July 1, 2017, any person in this state who possesses any large-capacity magazine, regardless of the date the magazine was acquired, is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) upon the first offense, by a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) upon the second offense, and by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) upon the third or subsequent offense.

(c) A person who, prior to July 1, 2017, legally possesses a large-capacity magazine shall dispose of that magazine by any of the following means:

(1) Remove the large-capacity magazine from the state.

(2) Prior to July 1, 2017, sell the large-capacity magazine to a licensed firearms dealer.

(3) Destroy the large-capacity magazine.

(4) Surrender the large-capacity magazine to a law enforcement agency for destruction.

(b) (d) For purposes of this section, “manufacturing” includes both fabricating a magazine and assembling a magazine from a combination of parts, including, but not limited to, the body, spring, follower, and floor plate or end plate, to be a fully functioning large-capacity magazine.

(e) The provisions of this section are cumulative and shall not be construed as restricting the application of any other law. However, an act or omission punishable in different ways by different provisions of this code shall not be punished under more than one provision.

SEC. 2.

Section 32400 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32400.

Section 32310 does not apply to the sale of, giving of, lending of, possession of, importation into this state of, or purchase of, any large-capacity magazine to or by any federal, state, county, city and county, or city agency that is charged with the enforcement of any law, for use by agency employees in the discharge of their official duties, whether on or off duty, and where the use is authorized by the agency and is within the course and scope of their duties.

SEC. 3.

Section 32405 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32405.

Section 32310 does not apply to the sale to, lending to, transfer to, purchase by, receipt of, possession of, or importation into this state of, a large-capacity magazine by a sworn peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, or a sworn federal law enforcement officer who is authorized to carry a firearm in the course and scope of that officer’s duties.

SEC. 4.

Section 32406 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

32406.

Subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 32310 do not apply to the following:

(a) An individual who honorably retired from being a sworn peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, or an individual who honorably retired from being a sworn federal law enforcement officer, who was authorized to carry a firearm in the course and scope of that officer’s duties. For purposes of this section, “honorably retired” has the same meaning as provided in Section 16690.

(b) A federal, state, or local historical society, museum or institutional society, or museum or institutional collection, that is open to the public, provided that the large-capacity magazine is unloaded, properly housed within secured premises, and secured from unauthorized handling.

(c) A person who finds a large-capacity magazine, if the person is not prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, and possessed it no longer than necessary to deliver or transport it to the nearest law enforcement agency.

(d) A forensic laboratory, or an authorized agent or employee thereof in the course and scope of his or her authorized activities.

(e) The receipt or disposition of a large-capacity magazine by a trustee of a trust, or an executor or administrator of an estate, including an estate that is subject to probate, that includes a large-capacity magazine.

(f) A person lawfully in possession of a firearm that the person obtained prior to January 1, 2000, if no magazine that holds 10 or fewer rounds of ammunition is compatible with that firearm and the person possesses the large-capacity magazine solely for use with that firearm.

SEC. 5.

Section 32410 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32410.

Section 32310 does not apply to the sale possession, sale, or purchase of any large-capacity magazine to or by a person licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive.

SEC. 6.

Section 32420 of the Penal Code is repealed.

32420.

Section 32310 does not apply to the importation of a large-capacity magazine by a person who lawfully possessed the large-capacity magazine in the state prior to January 1, 2000, lawfully took it out of the state, and is returning to the state with the same large-capacity magazine.

SEC. 7.

Section 32425 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32425.

Section 32310 does not apply to either of the following:

(a) The lending or giving of any large-capacity magazine to to, or possession of that magazine by, a person licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive, or to a gunsmith, for the purposes of maintenance, repair, or modification of that large-capacity magazine.

(b) The return to its owner of any large-capacity magazine by a person specified in subdivision (a).

SEC. 8.

Section 32430 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32430.

Section 32310 does not apply to the possession of, importation into this state of, or sale of, any large-capacity magazine by a person who has been issued a permit to engage in those activities pursuant to Section 32315, when those activities are in accordance with the terms and conditions of that permit.

SEC. 9.

Section 32435 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32435.

Section 32310 does not apply to any of the following:

(a) The sale of, giving of, lending of, possession of, importation into this state of, or purchase of, any large-capacity magazine, to or by any entity that operates an armored vehicle business pursuant to the laws of this state.

(b) The lending of large-capacity magazines by an entity specified in subdivision (a) to its authorized employees, and the possession of those large-capacity magazines by those authorized employees, while in the course and scope of employment for purposes that pertain to the entity’s armored vehicle business.

(c) The return of those large-capacity magazines to the entity specified in subdivision (a) by those employees specified in subdivision (b).

SEC. 10.

Section 32450 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

32450.

Section 32310 does not apply to the purchase or possession of a large-capacity magazine by the holder of a special weapons permit issued pursuant to Section 31000, 32650, or 33300, or pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 18900) of Chapter 1 of Division 5 of Title 2, or pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 32700) of Chapter 6 of this division, for any of the following purposes:

(a) For use solely as a prop for a motion picture, television, or video production.

(b) For export pursuant to federal regulations.

(c) For resale to law enforcement agencies, government agencies, or the military, pursuant to applicable federal regulations.

SEC. 11.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

California Game Warden

Information for Retired California Game Wardens