On Monday, August 21, 2017 the California State Senate Appropriations Committee will hear AB 736 (Gipson), a measure which imposes civil fines on Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), which the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) believes will drive gun stores out of business.
Firearms dealers are among the most regulated small businesses in the state. They are often inspected and audited by both state (California Department of Justice) and federal (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) agencies.
Violations discovered from these efforts are most often inadvertent record keeping or operating errors by a retailer or their employee; and while worthy of notation, notification and correction, they rarely rise to a level worthy of a fine.
“AB 736 only adds to California’s infamous anti-business and anti-second amendment climates”, stated Craig DeLuz, spokesman for FPC. “This bill will only serve to drive firearms dealers out of business, making it even more difficult for law abiding citizens to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.”
FFLs play a major role in facilitating the legal transfer of firearms in the state of California. As their numbers dwindle, it reduces that opportunity for law abiding citizens, especially in rural communities, to legally obtain or transfer their firearms.
“It’s counterproductive for the state to keep passing more and more laws for gun owners to comply with, while at the same time putting out of business those entities (FFLs) who have been designated by the state to facilitate that compliance”, noted DeLuz. “That is, of course, unless the goal is to eliminate the right to keep and bear arms by making it impossible to comply with the law.”
by Ammoland.com
