Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

State to outlaw assault arms

Andrew Gumbel
Tuesday 13 July 1999 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

WITH EMOTIONS still high over April's school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, the state of California is introducing some of the toughest gun control legislation in the United States to outlaw almost all categories of assault weapons.

The state legislature approved a Bill on Monday making it illegal to buy or sell a gun with characteristics of semi-automatic weapons, such as accessories making such guns easier to conceal and use, or detachable parts, folding stocks and vertical hand-grips or magazines with more than 10 rounds.

The Bill is expected to be signed into law by California's Democratic Governor, Gray Davis, next Monday in a ceremony at a high-rise office block in downtown San Francisco where a gunman, Gian Luigi Ferri, killed eight people and injured six others in 1993 before shooting himself.

"The time is now to ban assault weapons," the state assembly speaker, Antonio Villaraigosa, said before the vote. "It is time to use the power of the legislature to say with one loud voice that we should all move beyond Columbine." April's shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, which left 14 students and a teacher dead, have prompted calls for tougher gun control across the country.

The Republican majority in Congress, heavily lobbied by the National Rifle Association, paralysed efforts to introduce tougher federal measures. But in California, Democrats now control both legislative houses and the governorship. In 1989, after a school shooting, the state banned assault weapons by make rather than category.

That allowed manufacturers to modify their designs slightly and keep selling.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in