A California senate bill that would dramatically raise the cost of recreational and sport shooting has passed the Senate and will be heard by an assembly committee next week.

California sportsmen are urged to attend the Assembly Public Safety Committee hearing on June 28 to oppose SB 357.  Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Santa Ana, introduced the bill that would require manufacturers to put serial numbers on every piece of handgun ammunition sold in California.  Each box of cartridges would have its own serial number and every bullet and casing in the box would be engraved with that number.

The bill’s requirement for manufacturers to print and engrave the serial numbers would complicate ammunition production and increase costs.  The added cost would be passed on to consumers in the state and would devastate hundreds of small business owners.  The businesses that could still afford to sell ammunition would have no choice but to then pass the higher costs on to sportsmen.

“The provisions in this bill have nothing to do with crime control,” said Rob Sexton, USSA vice president for government affairs.  “The bill has a direct impact on law abiding citizens who enjoy target shooting and hunting.”

Private citizens would not be the only ones hurt by the bill.  Even the ammunition sold to the Department of Defense for use at California military bases would have to be properly marked, driving up costs.

“In 2004, California sportsmen and shooters let legislators know that they opposed proposed ammunition taxes to pay for the acts of criminals and legislation to require firearms owners to register,” said Sexton.  “California sportsmen must again take action to stop this bill.”

Senate Bill 357 passed the Senate on June 2 by a vote of 21 to 14.

Take Action!  California sportsmen are urged to attend the Assembly Public Safety Committee hearing on June 28 to oppose SB 357.  The hearing will be held in Room 126 in the State Capitol beginning at 9:00 AM.  Those who cannot attend should contact their assemblymen and explain that SB 357 would ruin many large and small businesses, increase the cost of our defense programs, and punish law abiding gun owners.  To contact your assemblymen, call or use the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org.