Smith Enterprise Halts Sales to California State Agencies and Law Enforcement, Stands With the People of California

Last month Smith Enterprise halted sales of all SEI products to law enforcement agencies based in New York State due to Governor Cuomo’s newest round of anti-gun legislation in the so-called "SAFE Act". Last week Smith Enterprise did the same with regard to Colorado. Today Smith Enterprise is suspending sales of all products to all state and local law enforcement agencies in the state of California, because of proposed anti-gun legislation making its way through the State Legislature.

The California legislative session for 2013 has introduced a dozen pieces of antigun legislation in the latest effort to criminalize California gun owners and it is enough to raise the ire of Ron Smith, the President of Smith Enterprise.

Smith said today, “These anti-gunners in California are delusional. They want their constituents to believe that passing more gun control laws in addition to the hundreds that they have in place will mean an end to violent crime. These proposed laws are aimed at the millions of law-abiding California citizens who have bent over backwards to comply with their state's ridiculous demands from past legislation.

"What criminal uses a device as ridiculous as a bullet button? What criminal is going to register firearms or apply for a permit to purchase ammunition? Not one. This is political grandstanding at its worst. Smith Enterprise will not be a party to the enforcement of these illegal laws which are not only unconstitutional, but only seek to punish and make criminals of the law-abiding."

California has long been a hotbed of anti-gun political activity. The Golden State was the first state to pass an assault weapon ban with the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 which outlawed over 75 specifically named semiautomatic handguns, rifles and shotguns. Not content to stop there, a decade later the state banned centerfire semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and handguns based on characteristics such as the presence of a pistol grip, thumbhole stock or flash suppressor. Other legislation passed in California outlawed rifles chambered in 50 BMG in 2004 and handguns that were not submitted for safety testing to the state's Department of Justice in 2001.

The first shot across the bow of freedom came from Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) who introduced AB174 that would have confiscated so-called semiautomatic assault weapons which were registered and in compliance with California's laws.  This onerous bill has since been amended to remove this wording, but it was the first of a dozen.

Assemblyman Nancy Skinner (D-East Bay) has submitted AB48 which bans the sale of magazine parts kits that can hold more than ten rounds, bans the sale or transfer of ammunition by anyone other than a licensed firearms dealer and requires that all ammunition transfers must be reported to the state.

Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) has submitted AB169 which bans the sale of handguns no longer on California's approved list.  This leaves gun owners who lawfully possess a handgun with no means of transferring or selling the handgun, if the handgun is not on DOJ's Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale. Dickinson has also introduced AB760 which imposes a sales tax of 5 cents per round of ammunition.

President pro temp of the California State Senate, Senator Mark Steinberg (D-Sacramento) wants to ban all semiautomatic rifles, including rimfire versions, as assault weapons. SB 374 would prohibit future sales and transfers in the state and require all such rifles to be considered so-called "assault weapons".

 Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) has introduced SB47 which expands the definition of so-called assault weapons to ban the future sale of rifles that are equipped to use the “bullet button” or similar device and requires registration of all those semiautomatic rifles as “assault weapons” and subject to their restrictions. Also proposed by Yee is SB108 which requires mandatory locked storage of firearms within a locked house regardless of whether anyone is present.

Senator Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles) has introduced SB53 which requires citizens to purchase an annual ammunition purchase permit and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to California.

Senator Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) has introduced SB293, which would ban the sale of conventional handguns, if the state Department of Justice approves the sale of “Owner Authorized – Smart” handgun technology. DeSalunier would also seek to criminalize victims of firearms theft if they fail to report the loss of their firearm within 48 hours with SB299.

Senator Hanna Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) wants to change the technical definition of a shotgun with SB567. In Jackson's mind this would include a rifled bore and remove the definition of being made to fire from the shoulder. Her office has stated that this is to purposefully go after (in Jackson's words)the "exceptionally deadly" Rossi Circuit Judge revolving rifle chambered in 45 Colt, but also capable of chambering a 410 shotgun shell. The implications of this misguided law go far beyond any one rifle and could declare a host of handguns illegal under state law as short barreled shotguns.

Finally, SB396, introduced by Senator Loni Hancock (D-East Bay), would ban the possession of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than ten rounds, including currently legally possessed  magazines that were grandfathered under the State's ban in 1999.

When asked what Californians can do, Ron Smith gave a call to action: “Now is not the time for Californians to sit on their hands. It is us versus the gun grabbers. And Smith Enterprise hopes that the good people left in California make their voices heard by contacting these legislators as soon as possible via letters, phone calls, fax and email. If these politicians continue to support these ridiculous laws, Californians must make them pay for that support at the ballot box.”

The California legislature needs to know that this tyranny against law-abiding citizens needs to stop.
Californians can write their representatives here urging them to OPPOSE the anti-gun bills listed above. 

Californians can send a letter to all elected officials in California here.  When contacting legislators, readers can copy and paste all the bill information above to ensure the elected officials of California know which bills to OPPOSE.

Until California's government opens its doors again to 2nd Amendment Freedom, Smith Enterprise will be forced to apply the laws it passes to its government agencies.