State Senate Approves Long-Stalled Gun Bill, 15-Day Waiting Period

The state Senate today approved a long-stalled bill to require a 15-day waiting period for most purchases of rifles and shotguns.

The upper house voted 23 to 10 to send the measure to the Assembly, which approved an earlier version of the bill on a 48-24 vote.

“If we don’t pass this legislation, surely there is going to be a crazy person somewhere or a felon somewhere who is going to get hold of a gun and kill their wife, or children, or business partner--who knows?” asked Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) during sharp but relatively brief floor debate.

The measure, AB497 by Assemblyman Lloyd G. Connelly (D-Sacramento), was one of a series of gun bills that were introduced after a deranged drifter opened fire with an assault rifle at a Stockton elementary school in January, 1989, killing five students.

Supporters of the proposal had expected a bitter fight over the bill, but the measure was approved on its first vote following the floor debate.

Roberti urged support for the bill, telling the Senate, “Let’s save lives.”

Although some weapons-related bills have become law, Connelly’s proposal bogged down in the Senate in the face of heavy lobbying by gun-owner groups.

It went down to defeat last Sept. 14 on a 14-22 vote in the 40-seat Senate. Several senators switched to vote against the measure after it became clear it would not pass.

Supporters were given permission to take a second roll call.

Supporters expected a very close battle for the 21 votes needed for passage. Connelly aide Gene Erbin said Wednesday, “I would say we’ve got 20.9 (votes). We have 20 hard ‘yes’ votes and one quite nearly committed. We have a shot at some others.”

Current law requires a 15-day waiting period before a handgun purchaser takes possession of the gun, to give law enforcement officials time to run a background check to determine if the buyer is legally entitled to the weapon.

Supporters say the delay also creates a cooling-off period.

Connelly’s bill, with a few exceptions, would extend that requirement to sales of rifles and shotguns. It would also require, with some exceptions, that all gun sales go through gun dealers.

And it would expand the category of people ineligible to purchase or possess firearms.