CALIFORNIA—California is known for having strict and reformative gun laws which involve the regulation of sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition. Starting Monday, July 1, Governor Gavin Newsom announced California as the first state to require background checks for ammunition purchases.
Republicans and gun rights advocates have already criticized the state’s new implementation of requiring a real ID to buy ammunition.
Newsom believes keeping communities safe is “everyone’s business” and calls for this critical step to take action in order to move toward progress and safety.
While background checks for guns have been around since 1998 – launched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – none have been performed for the purchasing of the dangerous component that makes a gun deadly, ammunition.
According to Giffords, 1.3 million eligibility checks on firearm sales were denied. The new ammunition background check program will be administered by the California Department of Justice.
Newsom asserts how since 1933, California has led the way with gun control. The state has witnessed a significant decline in murder rates as a result of the use of a firearm than most states. This decline “goes way beyond the trend line nationally,” Newsom stated in the announcement meeting of Proposition 63. “Gun safety laws save lives,” said Newsom.
Written By Olivia Gonzalez-Britt
