FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
CONTACT:
Brett Abrams : 516-841-1105 : brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com
CourageCampaign.org Applauds the State Senate Passage of the LIFE Act’s 7 Bills to Reduce Gun Violence in California
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Today, in a huge victory for gun violence prevention advocates, the California State Senate passed the remaining seven bills composing the Lifesaving Intelligent Firearms Enforcement (LIFE) Act, a series of new bills designed to reduce gun violence in the State.
“California has a history of pioneering legislation to protect its people. The LIFE Act does just that, making dramatic strides in reducing gun violence and reclaiming California’s standing as the national leader on gun safety,” said Rick Jacobs, chair and founder of CourageCampaign.org. “As Washington has continued to prove incapable of passing even incremental reform, California once again sets the pace for the country. We applaud the California State Senate, and State Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg for his support of these bills and his commitment to making California safer.”
The LIFE Act’s eight bills are listed below. All eight of the laws have currently passed the California State Senate. CourageCampaign.org is an official co-sponsor of all eight pieces of legislation.
- Senate Bill 140 (Leno/Steinberg) gives law enforcement the resources to confiscate the guns of Californians who are known to illegally possess them. Currently there is an 18,000 person backlog;
- SB 53 (de León) requires a background check for all ammunition purchases;
- SB 47 (Yee) closes a loophole in California’s assault weapons ban that allows guns with a “bullet button” to sneak through;
- SB 396 (Hancock) outlaws “mega-magazines” that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition;
- SB 755 (Wolk) expands the list of Californians who can’t legally own guns to include those convicted of multiple drug/alcohol convictions, carrying ammunition onto school grounds, active participation in street gangs, and others;
- SB 374 (Steinberg) bans semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines and retroactively requires an ownership record for all guns;
- SB 683 (Block) expands safety certificate requirements to long guns, rather than just handguns;
- SB 567 (Jackson) closes a loophole in California’s definition of an illegal shotgun to include a shotgun with a revolving cylinder and a rifled bore.
The LIFE Act is supported strongly by a coalition of progressive California-based organizations led by CourageCampign.org in collaboration with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Bend the Arc: A Jewish Alliance for Justice, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, California Church Impact, the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), Clergy and Laity for Economic Justice – California (CLUE CA), CREDO Action, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and PICO.
BECOME A CO-SPONSOR OF THE LIFE ACT HERE: http://act.couragecampaign.org/sign/citizen_co-sponsor_LIFE_Act_/
For more information, or for interviews with CourageCampaign.org, please contact Brett Abrams at 516-841-1105 or by email at brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com.
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CourageCampaign.org is an online organizing network that empowers more than 750,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. As a leading multi-issue advocacy organization, Courage Campaign’s work is supported by thousands of small donations from our diverse community.