Effective January 1, 2000, SB 23 generally prohibits, the manufacture, import, sale, giving or lending of large capacity magazines (defined as any ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds, but does not include .22 caliber tube ammunition feeding devices).
Enforcement relative to the illegal possession of SB 23 assault weapons went into effect January 1, 2001, following the one-year registration period.
Persons who lawfully possessed assault weapons as defined by SB 23 prior to January 1, 2000 were required to either 1) register them with the Department of Justice between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000, 2) render them permanently inoperable, 3) remove them from California, 4) relinquish them to a police or sheriff's department, or 5) prior to December 31, 2000, sell them to a California licensed firearms dealer who possesses a valid assault weapon dealer permit. The Firearms Division has made available a list of the SB 23 characteristics that define assault weapons. You may also visit the California Legislature web site at
www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html for a full text version of SB 23, or telephone the Legislative Bill Room at (916) 445-2323 to request a copy of the bill. After reviewing the law, if you are still uncertain as to whether your firearm is an assault weapon under Penal Code section 12276.1 (SB 23), you should seek advice from either a firearms expert or an attorney.
