L.A. City Council Panel Urges Ban on Sale of Cheap Handguns

Following in the footsteps of West Hollywood, a key Los Angeles City Council committee recommended Monday drafting an ordinance that bans the sale of cheap handguns known as “Saturday Night Specials.”

West Hollywood adopted a “Saturday Night Special” ban last month but has postponed putting it into effect to give officials more time to compile a list of weapons that will be outlawed.

The West Hollywood law has already been challenged by major gun owners’ groups, which say it illegally usurps the state’s power to regulate firearm sales.

At a meeting of the Public Safety Committee, Assistant City Atty. Henry Morris said Los Angeles is also likely to face a lawsuit if the city decides to adopt the same ban.

Nonetheless, Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who proposed the ban for Los Angeles, defended the proposal, saying cheap handguns are often used in crimes and also are a danger to law-abiding owners because they are known to misfire.

“We aren’t talking about a sport weapon,” she said. “These are cheap, throwaway guns that are often used in the commission of a crime.”

Robert Ricker, legislative director for a group representing the firearms industry, urged the panel to reject the ban, saying it would keep low-income residents from protecting themselves by putting the price of a firearm out of reach.