The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a series of gun control measures Tuesday, including banning the sale of .50 caliber handguns in unincorporated areas.
The motions — authored by Board Chair Janice Hahn, Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath — came in response to the mass shooting at Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park on the eve of the Lunar New Year, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injuries to nine others. The alleged gunman, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, also died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound hours later.
The board recently declared gun violence a public health crisis.
Hahn said in a statement:
We know that blame for the gun violence epidemic lies with the failure of Congressional leaders to pass even the most basic federal gun laws. Because they have not acted — we have found actions we can take at the county level to protect lives.
One of the motions expected to take effect soon aims to stop the sale of .50 caliber firearms and ammunition in unincorporated areas and prohibits carrying firearms on public property with certain exceptions — notably law enforcement.
Additionally, it asks the Department of Regional Planning to prepare an ordinance to implement zoning regulations with a 1,000 feet buffer between firearm sellers and “child-sensitive areas” — i.e. parks and schools — and for the Treasurer and Tax collector to prepare final amendments to the County code regarding business licenses to improve firearm and ammunition regulation in unincorporated areas.
Another item directs the County’s Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch to send a letter to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in support of Senate bills that seek to raise the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons from 18 to 21, as well as ban the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and other…
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