Following the lead of a recently upheld San Francisco ordinances that regulated handguns and ammunition, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted 11-0 on Tuesday to begin drafting a new ordinance requiring handguns to either be locked up or disabled with trigger locks when they are not in use. The ordinance was proposed by L.A. city councilman Paul Krekorian and he has led the charge of getting it approved by city council.In addition, another ordinance passed with unanimous support, mandating firearm dealers throughout the city to electronic records to the Police Department and making it a misdemeanor charge for sellers who fail to do so.
The city’s lawyers will draft the firearm ordinance and bring it back to City Council, although the Council must vote again next week on the proposal becaues fewer than a dozen council members were present at the vote. While firearm groups such as FFLGuard opposed such proposed ordinances as recently as a letter sent to city council members last year, the group Women Against Gun Violence supported the plan. Trigger locks are already mandated for all handguns by the state of California.
Will the new ordinances make it more difficult for gun owners to use their firearms for self-defense? What will the effects of the ordinances be on gun deaths in the City of Los Angeles?
Guests:
Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney
Allison Anderman, staff attorney for the Law Center to Prevent Gun violence
Sam Paredes, Executive Director of Gun Owners of California