CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 918

Introduced by Senator Portantino

February 03, 2022

An act to amend Sections 30370, 30470, and 30485 of the Penal Code, relating to firearms.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 918, as introduced, Portantino. Firearms.
Existing law permits the Department of Justice to charge a fee sufficient to reimburse it for specified costs related to the sale or transfer of firearms, such as the preparation, sale, processing, and filing of required reports and costs associated with the submission of a Dealers’ Record of Sale (DROS), as specified. Existing law requires that firearm purchaser information be provided to the department exclusively by electronic means. Existing law directs the department to electronically approve the purchase or transfer of ammunition through a vendor at the time of purchase or transfer and prior to the purchaser taking possession of the ammunition, and permits the department to collect certain fees for these purposes. Existing law regulates the sale of firearm precursor parts, and authorizes the department to issue a firearm precursor part vendor license. Existing law deems a licensed firearms dealer or licensed ammunition dealer a firearm precursor parts vendor.
This bill would update cross references in those provisions.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 30370 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30370.
 (a) Commencing July 1, 2019, the department shall electronically approve the purchase or transfer of ammunition through a vendor, as defined in Section 16151, except as otherwise specified. This approval shall occur at the time of purchase or transfer, prior to the purchaser or transferee taking possession of the ammunition. Pursuant to the authorization specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 30352, the following persons are authorized to purchase ammunition:
(1) A purchaser or transferee whose information matches an entry in the Automated Firearms System (AFS) and who is eligible to possess ammunition as specified in subdivision (b).
(2) A purchaser or transferee who has a current certificate of eligibility issued by the department pursuant to Section 26710.
(3) A purchaser or transferee who is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing ammunition in a single ammunition transaction or purchase made pursuant to the procedure developed pursuant to subdivision (c).
(b) To determine if the purchaser or transferee is eligible to purchase or possess ammunition pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the department shall cross-reference the ammunition purchaser’s or transferee’s name, date of birth, current address, and driver’s license or other government identification number, as described in Section 28180, with the information maintained in the AFS. If the purchaser’s or transferee’s information does not match an AFS entry, the transaction shall be denied. If the purchaser’s or transferee’s information matches an AFS entry, the department shall determine if the purchaser or transferee falls within a class of persons who are prohibited from owning or possessing ammunition by cross-referencing with the Prohibited Armed Persons File. If the purchaser or transferee is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm, the transaction shall be denied.
(c) The department shall develop a procedure in which a person who is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing ammunition may be approved for a single ammunition transaction or purchase. The department shall recover the cost of processing and regulatory and enforcement activities related to this section by charging the ammunition transaction or purchase applicant a fee not to exceed the fee charged for the department’s Dealers’ Record of Sale (DROS) process, as described in Section 28225 28225, as it read on December 31, 2019, and not to exceed the department’s reasonable costs.
(d) A vendor is prohibited from providing a purchaser or transferee ammunition without department approval. If a vendor cannot electronically verify a person’s eligibility to purchase or possess ammunition via an Internet connection, the department shall provide a telephone line to verify eligibility. This option is available to ammunition vendors who can demonstrate legitimate geographical and telecommunications limitations in submitting the information electronically and who are approved by the department to use the telephone line verification.
(e) The department shall recover the reasonable cost of regulatory and enforcement activities related to this article by charging ammunition purchasers and transferees a per transaction fee not to exceed one dollar ($1), provided, however, that the fee may be increased at a rate not to exceed any increases in the California Consumer Price Index as compiled and reported by the Department of Industrial Relations, not to exceed the reasonable regulatory and enforcement costs.
(f) A fund to be known as the “Ammunition Safety and Enforcement Special Fund” is hereby created within the State Treasury. All fees received pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Ammunition Safety and Enforcement Special Fund and, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, are continuously appropriated for purposes of implementing, operating, and enforcing the ammunition authorization program provided for in this section and Section 30352 and for repaying the start-up loan provided for in Section 30371.
(g) The Department of Justice is authorized to adopt regulations to implement this section.

SEC. 2.

 Section 30470 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30470.
 (a) Commencing July 1, 2022, the department shall electronically approve the purchase or transfer of firearm precursor parts through a vendor, as defined in Section 16532, except as otherwise specified. This approval shall occur at the time of purchase or transfer, prior to the purchaser or transferee taking possession of the firearm precursor part. Pursuant to the authorization specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 30452, the following persons are authorized to purchase firearm precursor parts:
(1) A purchaser or transferee whose information matches an entry in the Automated Firearms System (AFS) and who is eligible to possess firearm precursor parts as specified in subdivision (b).
(2) A purchaser or transferee who has a current certificate of eligibility issued by the department pursuant to Section 26710.
(3) A purchaser or transferee who is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearm precursor parts in a single firearm precursor part transaction or purchase made pursuant to the procedure developed pursuant to subdivision (c).
(b) To determine if the purchaser or transferee is eligible to purchase or possess firearm precursor parts pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the department shall cross-reference the firearm precursor part purchaser’s or transferee’s name, date of birth, current address, and driver’s license or other government identification number, as described in Section 28180, with the information maintained in the AFS. If the purchaser’s or transferee’s information does not match an AFS entry, the transaction shall be denied. If the purchaser’s or transferee’s information matches an AFS entry, the department shall determine if the purchaser or transferee falls within a class of persons who are prohibited from owning or possessing firearm precursor parts by cross-referencing with the Prohibited Armed Persons File. If the purchaser or transferee is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm, the transaction shall be denied.
(c) The department shall develop a procedure in which a person who is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm precursor part may be approved for a single firearm precursor part transaction or purchase. The department shall recover the cost of processing and regulatory and enforcement activities related to this section by charging the firearm precursor part transaction or purchase applicant a fee not to exceed the fee charged for the department’s Dealers’ Record of Sale (DROS) process, as described in Section 28225 28225, as it read on December 31, 2019, and not to exceed the department’s reasonable costs.
(d) A vendor is prohibited from providing a purchaser or transferee a firearm precursor part without department approval. If a vendor cannot electronically verify a person’s eligibility to purchase or possess firearm precursor parts via an internet connection, the department shall provide a telephone line to verify eligibility. This option is available to firearm precursor part vendors who can demonstrate legitimate geographical and telecommunications limitations in submitting the information electronically and who are approved by the department to use the telephone line verification.
(e) The department shall recover the reasonable cost of regulatory and enforcement activities related to this article by charging firearm precursor parts purchasers and transferees a per transaction fee not to exceed one dollar ($1), provided, however, that the fee may be increased at a rate not to exceed any increases in the California Consumer Price Index as compiled and reported by the Department of Industrial Relations, not to exceed the reasonable regulatory and enforcement costs.
(f) A fund to be known as the Firearm Precursor Parts Enforcement Special Fund is hereby created within the State Treasury. All fees received pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Firearm Precursor Parts Special Fund and, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, are continuously appropriated to the department for purposes of implementing, operating, and enforcing the firearm precursor part authorization program provided for in this section and Section 30452.
(g) The Department of Justice is authorized to adopt regulations to implement this section.

SEC. 3.

 Section 30485 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

30485.
 (a) The Department of Justice is authorized to issue firearm precursor part vendor licenses pursuant to this article. The department shall, commencing April 1, 2022, commence accepting applications for firearm precursor part vendor licenses. If an application is denied, the department shall inform the applicant of the reason for the denial in writing. The annual fee shall be paid on July 1, or the next business day, of every year.
(b) The firearm precursor part vendor license shall be issued in a form prescribed by the department. The department may adopt regulations to administer the application and enforcement provisions of this article. The license shall allow the licensee to sell firearm precursor parts at the location specified in the license or at a gun show or event as set forth in Section 30448.
(c) (1) In the case of an entity other than a natural person, the department shall issue the license to the entity but shall require a responsible person to pass the background check pursuant to Section 30495.
(2) For purposes of this article, “responsible person” means a person having the power to direct the management, policies, and practices of the entity as it pertains to firearm precursor parts.
(d) Commencing July 1, 2022, a firearms dealer licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive, and licensed ammunition vendor shall automatically be deemed a firearm precursor parts vendor, provided the dealer complies with the requirements of Article 2 1 (commencing with Section 30300) 30400) and Article 3 2 (commencing with Section 30342) 30442) of Chapter 1 1.5.