Santa Monica : Waiting Period for Rifles
People who buy rifles in Santa Monica will have to wait 15 days to take delivery of their weapons starting next year, under a law adopted by the City Council this week.
Because state law prohibits municipalities from imposing waiting periods on gun purchasers for the purpose of making background checks on them, the new Santa Monica law defines the 15-day wait as a cooling-off period in which no background checks will be performed.
The council delayed the effective date of the law to next Jan. 1 on the advice of City Atty. Robert Myers, who said it gives time to state legislators to adopt similar, overriding legislation.
Local gun shop owners doubted the effectiveness of such a plan. Judson Swearingen, owner of Cole’s Guns, said the law would “divert the legitimate purchases by Santa Monica residents to stores outside this city.”
But Councilman David Finkel said the waiting period would “advance the dialogue (on gun control). If it does nothing more than that, then it’s still a good idea,” he said.
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