PS Council to consider citywide gun control measures
The Gun Safety Ordinance will be on the Palm Springs City Council’s agenda for the August 3 meeting, according to City Councilman Geoff Kors.
Statement from Palm Springs City Councilman Geoff Kors:
“Neither myself, the Councilmember who requested that the City Council discuss gun safety measures, the City Attorney or the City Manager, were contacted by the reporter for this story. While the California Rifle & Pistol Association was quoted and their position reflected throughout, the position of organizations that support gun safety are not reflected anywhere in the article.
“The story below contains a number of factual inaccuracies. For example, the story states that “All guns kept in a home or vehicle would have to be stowed in a locked container or storage device”. The proposal being discussed doesn’t require the owner to secure their gun if it is in his or her possession or control. Further, the proposal doesn’t require that a gun outside of the owner’s possession or control be kept in a locked container as long as the gun has a basic trigger lock to ensure against accidental shootings. A review of the proposal and staff report on the City’s Website makes this very clear.
Further, the proposal does not add a requirement that individuals must receive a permit to shoot a gun. That is already the law. Palm Springs Municipal Code Section 11.16.030, which can easily be found online, provides that “No person shall discharge or cause the discharge of any pistol, gun or any firearm or air gun or air rifle within this city without first having obtained a written permit from the chief of police for that purpose.”
Finally, the story states that two provisions, one dealing with large capacity magazines and the other with maintaining a log with purchases of ammunition conflict with state law. That is also incorrect. If the reporter had contacted me I would have informed her that I had already announced that I would be removing these two measures as the Governor had signed similar provisions into law after my proposal was released. Those provisions will take effect on January 1st statewide.”
-Palm Springs Councilman Geoff Kors
Story from City News Service
The Palm Springs City Council tomorrow will debate whether to move ahead with a gun control ordinance that would impose restrictions opposed by the state’s leading Second Amendment advocacy group and are virtually indistinguishable from several measures signed into law last week by Gov. Jerry Brown.
CBS Local 2 and KESQ News Channel 3 will be at the council meeting Wednesday night to provide a full recap of the gun control debate.
Councilman Geoff Kors was the proponent behind drafting the ordinance, which he said was needed in the wake of the terrorist attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12. Nearly 50 people were killed and more than 50 were wounded.
In an introduction to the proposed municipal ordinance, city staff note that Palm Springs has the authority to “suppress, prohibit or regulate all things that are injurious to the public welfare.”
The staff report acknowledges the state’s preeminent power in firearms legislation but mistakenly references the Orlando terrorist’s use of an “automatic firearm” — which it was not. The general public has been prohibited from owning automatic weapons in the United States since the National Firearms Act of 1934.
Under Kors’ proposal, the following regulations would apply:
All so-called “large-capacity” magazines that can hold 10 or more rounds would be prohibited, except for law enforcement;
No shooting, recreational or otherwise, would be allowed without written permission of the police chief, except for law enforcement officers firing for practice;
All guns kept in a home or vehicle would have to be stowed in a locked container or storage device;
Any firearm that’s lost or stolen would have to be reported to the police department within 48 hours;
Any merchant selling or transferring ammunition would be required to record every transaction by gathering personal identifying details on the purchaser or recipient via an “ammunition sales log.”
Violators would face misdemeanor charges.
“As cities consider options for gun control, the most important consideration with any law should always be for the welfare and safety of those who reside and visit in Palm Springs,” said Palm Springs Police Sgt. William Hutchinson. “How that is carried out is debatable by many who all have different ideas on how and what will be in their best interest for protection. The residents and visitor’s safety of our city will always be our first priority.”
Several of the recommendations conflict with measures approved by majorities in the Legislature and signed into law by Brown on Friday.
Senate Bill 1235 will require ammunition purchases to be thoroughly documented and all buyers to undergo background checks, and SB 1446 will prohibit possession of high capacity magazines.
The California Rifle & Pistol Association has published alerts urging members in the Palm Springs area to speak out against the proposed gun control ordinance. A rally is planned in front of City Hall before the start of the council meeting.
“Stand with CRPA as we lead the resistance in California to stop those who seek to disarm law-abiding citizens while allowing criminals to roam free,” the organization stated. The gun control measures will be the final issue taken up by the council, according to its agenda.
