Longer Ban on Ammunition Sales Proposed

Three Los Angeles City Council members suggested Tuesday that a proposed ban on the sale of ammunition for one week prior to New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July be expanded to as long as one month.

The one-week ban, proposed last week by Mayor Tom Bradley and two council members, failed to win enough votes Tuesday for emergency passage and as a result was sent to a committee for consideration.

The measure is an attempt to cut down on the deliberate firing of guns into the air that has become a holiday tradition in Los Angeles. Despite the proposal’s failure Tuesday, council members predicted that it will pass in some form and be in effect by the Fourth of July.

“A week doesn’t seem like long enough,” said City Council President John Ferraro, who voted against the proposal. Ferraro said he may support a ban of as long as a month, but first wants the proposal to be discussed in a committee hearing.

The proposal was defeated by an 8-3 vote. Ten votes were necessary for passage. Councilmen Nate Holden and Hal Bernson also voted against the ban, suggesting later to reporters that a ban of several weeks or a month may be more effective.

“I may well support a ban when it comes out of committee, but I think it’s big enough that it deserves a full hearing,” Bernson said.

Holden said that if a one-week ban would be effective, “there will be more effect by a cutoff of two weeks.”

If a ban is approved, Los Angeles would be the first city in the country to have one, according to Bradley’s office.

Bill Chandler, the mayor’s press secretary, said Tuesday that if the city attorney’s office determines that a ban of longer than a week is legally defensible, “the mayor is all for it.”

Deputy City Atty. John Emerson said Tuesday that a longer ban probably would be legal, but if the measure is too extreme the state Legislature probably will pass a law preempting it.

Councilman Joel Wachs predicted Tuesday that the council will pass something that is “reasonable,” but said it is important that a measure be passed quickly so that other cities in the area will follow suit in time for the Fourth of July.

“You really can’t wait until the last minute,” Wachs said. “It will be less effective if others don’t follow it.”

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is studying a similar plan. Supervisor Kenneth Hahn introduced a motion that would ban the sale of ammunition for one week prior to the News Year’s Eve and July 4 holidays. On Tuesday the board agreed to send the proposal to County Sheriff Sherman Block and Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates for comment.