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California governor signs gun-control laws

Xinhua, July 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed six gun-control measures into law, according to local media reports Saturday.

His signature on Friday drew criticism from conservatives who complained Sacramento was eroding Second Amendment rights, though the San Bernardino terrorist attack last December killed 14 and injured 22.

The six bills signed into law will ban possession of magazines with the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds. They also requires people who already have such magazines to turn them over to authorities.

The bills put assault rifles with a feature known as a bullet button into illegal and mandate background checks when a gun is loaned to someone other than a close relative of the owner.

Filing false reports of stolen guns will have tougher punishment and there will be stricter regulations for ammunition, including requirements that ammo sellers get a license, purchases be screened and transactions be recorded.

California Senate President Kevin de Leon, who was author of one of the signed bills, said he was pleased with the governor's action, though Brown did veto a few other proposed gun laws.

"Taken together, these bills will save lives and make our communities, our families and our children safer," de Leon was quoted as saying by local media.

However, Assemblyman Jay Obernolte strongly criticized the package of new laws, which he said clearly infringe on the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.

"These new laws will not address the underlying problems of why gun violence occurs and they will do nothing to prevent another terrorist attack like the one that occurred in my county on Dec. 2 (the San Bernardino shooting)," Obernolte said.

Senator Jeff Stone said that criminalizing gun ownership instead of prosecuting criminals who use guns to commit crime is not the answer.

San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said he anticipates that many gun owners will balk at turning in their high-capacity magazines in response to one of the new laws. Endit