L.A. to require gun owners to lock up or disable handguns in homes

[usmarine0352_2005]

http://youthindependent.com/l-a-to-require-gun-owners-to-lock-up-or-disable-handguns-in-homes/

L.A. to require gun owners to lock up or disable handguns in homes

City Councilman Paul Krekorian revealed that more preschoolers are killed by guns than police officers, The Los Angeles Times reports. “It’s unacceptable to live in a country where it’s more dangerous to be a preschooler than to be a police officer–and we can do something about that today,” Krekorian said.

The new law will require L.A. gun owners to disable their guns with trigger locks or store them in a locked container, The Wall Street Journal reports. This is similar to the ordinances in place in New York City and San Francisco and a statewide law in Massachusetts.

The new restrictions would not apply to L.A. gun owners if a lawful user is carrying the handgun or if the gun is within “close enough proximity and control” so the owner can grab it and use it. If someone violates the new law, he or she will receive a misdemeanor, which is punishable up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

 

[USAF_Vet]

And exactly how will this even be enforced?

 

[Jackal]

And exactly how will this even be enforced?

It wont be enforced, but you can bet your arse it will be penalized.

 

[Twiki357]

It would presumably be an ad-on charge if/when something bad happens or as a fallback charge if another charge doesn’t stick.

 

[Quiet]

Ummm... SCOTUS ruling (DC v Heller, 2008) anyone?


Another "feel good" law that does nothing and is not lawful, that will cost the taxpayer's $$$$$$ in Court fees to get rid of.

 

[Aikibiker]

Heller addressed such laws and found them unconstitutional.

I like FL's approach o allowing storage anyway you see fit, but penalizing people if a minor gets hold of a gun and misuses it, if the minor acquiring the gun could be foreseeable. I.E. leaving a loaded pistol on the floor next to a toddler will get you arrested, but i your teenager invites a friend over while you are out and the friend goes rummaging in your closet and finds your hidden pistol you would be fine.

 

[chipcom]

And exactly how will this even be enforced?

CPS inspections and welfare checks, for starters. Your children belong to the State, so the state has a right to inspect your home to ensure their children are being properly cared for in a safe environment. (That isn't what I believe, but it's going to be their justification, just wait and see)

 

[danez71]

Ummm... SCOTUS ruling (DC v Heller, 2008) anyone?


Another "feel good" law that does nothing and is not lawful, that will cost the taxpayer's $$$$$$ in Court fees to get rid of.

I believe the difference is that in Heller, the firearm was to be locked up or disable AT ALL TIMES in the home.


Sunnyvale/SF storage laws, and now LA too are a little different in that they require the gun to be locked up/disabled in the home IF it isn't in your direct/complete control.


IOW, Sunnyvale/SF/and now LA allow you to carry an operable gun in your home where-as in D.C. you could not pre-Heller.


Its a fine line difference that 9th felt was enough and up-held the requirements in SF and Sunnyvale. I do not feel that the 9th was following the intention/spirit of the Heller decision but that's just my opinion.

 

[danez71]

And exactly how will this even be enforced?

Its an 'after the fact' law that will get tacked on when the police come out for whatever reason (domestic disturbance/violence, welfare checks, burglaries/robberies, CPS checks as mentioned, etc etc)

 

[Rockrivr1]

This has been the rule of law in Massachusetts for some time now. While it's near impossible for them to tell if you are storing your guns properly when you're home unless you need to use it to defend yourself/family. One of the first things asked is where you're gun was stored. If you're stupid enough to answer that it was on your night stand you've just screwed yourself. Doesn't matter if the shooting was warranted, you are getting charged as well. It's a very slippery slope.

Best way to handle it is to install a small handgun lock box or safe in a night stand draw and leave it unlocked. You're gun can be on the night stand, but if asked by LE you tell them in was in the safe, I heard a noise and I took it out.

 

[Sunray]

Anybody tell this twit nobody has ever been killed by an inanimate object?
Trigger locks or storing them in a locked container doesn't disable anything. Same law up here applies to handguns though.
"...up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine..." Geez, that all? Max up here is 6 months in jail or $5,000 fine. And very likely a 5 year + firearm ownership prohibition.

 

[FAS1]

From the article:

Los Angeles lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to put new restrictions on how handguns are kept in the home in an effort to reduce injuries, accidental fatalities and young suicides by removing the possibility of a gun falling into the wrong hands.

I think this part is really stretching it to explain a meaningful purpose of the law. I assume that the law somewhere references the CA DOJ's list of approved firearm devices. Looks to me that anything that has been tested passes their standards. While that might be OK for toddlers anyone old enough to contemplate suicide will gain access to most of these devices with extreme ease.

 

[danez71]

FAS1, I agree.

I have 3 trigger locks that came with guns; 2 handguns and a double barrel shotgun.

All 3 of them allowed the gun to fire by simply jiggling it back and forth in the trigger guard.

I tried several times to remount them better / more securely but no matter how hard I tried to get them to work, they all allowed the gun to be fired while mounted.

Even some of the CADOJ approved containers are easily opened by small children.


It makes me wonder if they do things so half-@ssed on purpose as to lead into the next step of their goal of banning everything with the reasoning of 'there is no way to make guns safe despite all of our really smart attempts'.

 

[Elkins45]

Anyone inspecting my home after some sort of incident would undoubtedly find an approved gun storage box with the lid pried open.

Not my fault someone pried open the box. I was just trying to follow the law.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Pfffff...

only one way to enforce that and thats not happening so...

More stupid laws on the books.

On a side note, what I do in my own home should not be a concern of the Gov.

 

[lemaymiami]

A few years back my son was going through some serious domestic issues (a divorce wasn't soon enough...). The first advice I gave him was to remove any firearms from his house.... and secure them elsewhere until they were properly separated and living apart. In my years as a cop a firearm in any house when serious domestic problems were on-going was very likely to be a problem for one side or the other (and one side or the other could be counted on to make allegations against the other -it was anyone's guess whether the truth was involved at all....).

I learned that this was a good idea after working with my own officers in serious domestic trouble of one sort or another....