Bill to Close Ghost Gun Loophole Heads to Governor Brown.
(Sacramento) – This afternoon, Assembly Bill (AB) 1673 by Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) overcame its last major hurdle towards becoming law when it passed the state legislature. AB 1673 passed with bipartisan support in the Assembly with a vote of 46-33 and 23-14 vote in the Senate. The bill will now head to the Governor for his signature.
“We have an opportunity to really curb gun violence here in California and close a deadly loophole that allows for certain manufactured parts of a gun to be untraceable and undetectable” said Assemblymember Gipson. “We must address this window of opportunity that allowed for people to use these unsearialized guns in the Santa Monica, Stockton, and Walnut Creek shootings of 2013 through 2015.
AB 1673 seeks to close a dangerous loophole in California law by redefining the term “firearm” to include unfinished gun frames.” Although existing California law requires background checks for each purchaser and a serial number for firearms, people have found ways to avoid these requirements and other California gun laws by creating a partially complete or “80 percent” lower receiver or frames. By being able to avoid the requirement of serialization, these weapons become “ghost guns” because they are untraceable.
In support of his legislation, Assemblymember Gipson continued, “It is important that we treat unfinished gun frames the same as firearms, because they have the capability of being converted into functional and dangerous weapons, and can be used for no other purpose than to create a firearm. Currently, law enforcement has no way of tracking these homemade guns. AB 1673 will help remedy that problem and will help save lives throughout California.”