Compromise Closer on Assault Gun Ban

The Legislature on Thursday moved toward a final compromise on a bill designed to assure the signature of Gov. George Deukmejian and outlaw scores of military assault weapons in California.

Assemblyman Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles), who led the fight in the Assembly to ban such firearms, forecast that the legislation will be voted on by both houses next Thursday and be sent to Deukmejian for his signature.

Deukmejian, long an opponent of new gun controls, came out in support of banning military-style semiautomatic guns two days after the Jan. 17 fatal shootings of five schoolchildren in Stockton. He is expected to sign the legislation.

Under a compromise reached with the governor, amendments to the proposed assault gun ban will receive a final polish by a Senate-Assembly conference committee Monday and will be set for expected final legislative approval three days later.

The agreement was worked out with Deukmejian by Roos, Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) and representatives of law enforcement agencies and would make California the first state in the nation to enact a sweeping prohibition against the combat-style guns.

Named to the conference committee were Roos, Roberti and Democratic Assemblymen John Burton of San Francisco and Rusty Areias of Los Banos and Sens. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) and Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim).

Essentially, the heavily lobbied bill would make it a crime Jan. 1 to import, manufacture, sell, lend, give or possess without a permit about 60 semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. These high-firepower guns would be classified by manufacturer and model as assault weapons.

Deukmejian three weeks ago objected to some provisions of the bill, especially one that would subject the otherwise law-abiding owner of a legally purchased assault gun to criminal penalties if the weapon was not registered.

The compromise eliminates the original misdemeanor or felony penalties. Instead, it substitutes an “infraction” fine of $350 to $500 for such a gun owner on the first offense.

Some Assembly Democratic supporters of the Roberti-Roos bill feared that the compromise reached with Deukmejian weakened penalties for illegal possession of assault weapons and indicated that they might not vote for the bill on final passage.

Their support is critical because if Roos loses even a single favorable vote, the bill will die. Its approval by the Senate is considered all but a foregone conclusion.

Roos said Thursday that he believes he has kept intact the precise 41 votes required for passage in the 80-member Assembly. He said some supporters expressed “legitimate concerns” about the compromise but are now satisfied that the compromise did not weaken the bill.