Original Link
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE BILL ANALYSIS
AMENDMENT DATE: Original BILL NUMBER: AB 962
POSITION: Oppose AUTHOR: K. De Leon
BILL SUMMARY: Ammunition
This bill would establish a database maintained by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to serve as a registry of handgun ammunition vendors. Additionally, the bill would require that, beginning July 1, 2010, no person shall sell or transfer specified rounds of handgun ammunition in any month unless he or she is licensed as a handgun ammunition vendor.
FISCAL SUMMARY
Although DOJ has not provided a fiscal estimate for this bill, Finance believes creating a new database and registration program would require significant staff and contract resources. The bill would allow for a fee to be charged to cover DOJ’s costs, but caps that fee at $50. It is not clear that this program can be implemented at that fee level. If it cannot, DOJ would have to seek additional funding, creating pressure on
other special funds and possibly the General Fund.
COMMENTS
Finance is opposed to this bill given the likely cost pressures it would impose and the significant resources it likely would require. Although the bill would provide for a fee to be charged for this purpose, absent specific information from DOJ, it is not clear the fee would be sufficient to fully fund this effort. Additionally, it may not be appropriate to impose additional workload during this time of limited state resources.
Furthermore, given that the licensing restriction would be in effect on July 1, 2010, and this bill, if chaptered, would be effective on January 1, 2010, DOJ would have only months to prepare and implement this database. Also, no appropriation authority is provided in the bill, so it is unlikely DOJ would have additional appropriations to draw from when developing this new program in time for the July 1, 2010 date.
Currently, DOJ maintains a database related to firearms transactions, which is supported by fees.
The bill would create a new handgun ammunition tracking database and registration program for handgun ammunition vendors. The bill would allow for a fee of up to $50 to reimburse DOJ for its costs of administering the license program, maintaining the registry of handgun ammunition vendors and other regulatory functions, including enforcement.
