This is what I sent to my State Senator and Assembly Member and CC'd Majority and Minority Leaders as well as the bill's sponsor:
Dear Senator/Assembly Member XXXX
I’m writing to you out of grave concern regarding proposed legislation AB 144. In synopsis this bill, if passed, would cause law abiding citizens such as myself to become criminals by virtue of simply exercising my right to enjoy lawful target shooting upon public lands, i.e., lands owned by BLM. As set forth in AB 144 section 26388 it makes it a crime to Unloaded Open Carry on Public Lands unless the person carrying that handgun is listed as the registered owner of that handgun with the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 11106.
As you may know, handgun registration is only required on the sale/transfer of handguns sold within California, I believe starting in 1991. Nothing in the law compelled owners of legally acquired handguns prior to this date (law) to register said handguns. However, if this bill passes, it will require all citizens of the State of California to register said handguns if unloaded open carried on public lands or risk arrest. Additionally, the definition of unloaded open carry would include those people simply removing there lawfully transported unloaded handgun from a locked container, once on public lands, i.e., carrying said unloaded weapon from your vehicle to a firing line.
Additionally, AB 144 appears to exempt a privileged class of people and or business’s to include process servers, repossession employees, bail recovery agents, insurance agents, charitable organizations, etc.
Further, this bill will certainly be challenged in court, costing the State (California tax payers) to defend a poorly written law.
Please don’t misunderstand my concern with AB 144. I’m not necessarily in favor of civilians running around Unloaded Open Carrying of firearms but, I can certainly understand why some people would feel the need to do so in today’s economic short falls requiring cutting budgets for local law enforcement as well as State and Counties releasing convicted criminals due to budget shortfalls.
In conclusion, I believe this bill is ill written, will cause confusion, both in law enforcement and with private citizens as to what the laws of California are. Additionally, AB 144 will inadvertently cause citizens, currently in possession of legally owned handguns, to become criminal’s by virtue of the date of purchase.
I would certainly think our legislators, at this time, have more important issues at hand than making criminals of law abiding citizens.
V/R,
XXXX
