More gun control on the table in California

There's a bill now before California lawmakers that could have some nasty impact on those who have what are now legal firearms under the state's already restrictive gun control laws.

The restrictive proposal was made even more restrictive earlier this week when new language was inserted into an existing bill already working its way through the legislative progress.

Today (August 6), Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) will introduce amendments to his SB 249 that will strengthen the bill by ensuring California law prohibits assault weapons with pistol grips, telescoping stock, or certain other features from being easily reloaded with multiple rounds of ammunition.

So, no more guns in California unless they can only be reloaded one round at a time?

More from Yee's release:

Specifically, Yee’s bill will prohibit featured assault weapons with ammunition feeding devices that include but are not limited to magazines “that may be detached from the firearm by depressing a button on the firearm either with the finger or by use of a tool or bullet.” The bill will also direct the Attorney General’s office to develop new regulations regarding the definition of assault weapons.

Interesting wording on Yee's behalf.

"...ammunition feeding devices that include but are not limited to magazines “that may be detached from the firearm by depressing a button on the firearm either with the finger or by use of a tool or bullet.”

Read it one way, and we're talking about using tools, buttons or bullets to depress a button.

Read it another way, with emphasis on the word or, and you can disregard the reference to button issue if using a bullet or tool to remove any ammunition feeding devices. How would gun control advocates interpret the text after passage?

Opposition to Yee's plan is ramping up fast. The NRA-ILA has issued an alert that includes a warning that many of today's legal gun owners in California could be ambushed by Yee's plan:

Senator Yee’s bill has no provisions to allow permitting, licensing or reimbursement for the loss of valuable property.  Worse yet, the bill doesn’t require a public notice program to advise owners of this change in state law. 

Thousands of owners could be arrested for inadvertent violations.  If you own an affected firearm, your only choices would be to destroy it, surrender it to a law enforcement agency, sell it out of state or have it confiscated at the time of your arrest!  Which option would you prefer?

Yee's office admits it has been besieged by communications expressing opposition to his plan.

Meanwhile, at least one billboard has already been posted in opposition to SB 249. And the Calguns Foundation has started selling "No Yee Can't" buttons to raise money to fight the bill. Opponents have also established a website dedicated specifically to targeting SB249's defeat.