Senator Kevin De Leon's response to our letters of SB 798

[code789]

here is Senator Kevin De Leon's response through his staff of what his purpose of SB 798 that was released on 5/2. sorry, i didn't spot this sooner.

http://capinsider.com/node/247

in the article there is also a link to his original press release which i include down below

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jzjose6XrbmDQO3_k5bqDKyxIQpaDGdJRZDRKl-J2jE/edit?hl=en#

[Paladin101]

Here is my main issue with this: If you point a stick that resembles a barrel at a cop, they will shoot you if they feel threatened. It doesn't matter that it's an airsoft gun. You halfway conceal a magic marker and point it at them and they will take action. YOU DON'T POINT THINGS AT LAW ENFORCEMENT. That's pretty much a duh rule. If anything this will make it more encouraging for criminals to spray paint their firearm orange so they can act like it's a toy until the last moment. What gang-banger is going to tape off the barrel? Whereas with this bill he just sprays the entire gun with spray paint.

Their response seems to not really be a response though. They think the bill is stupid, but they agree they need it?

[pappyjump]

Here is a possible solution, and you can correct me if i missed something. What if the government only allowed airsoft at formal events that would have been sanctioned by the police? This way, no kid has an excuse to why he is brandishing his guns in public.

[Darius137]

How about you just move the businesses to a friendlier state and then ignore all laws about airsoft guns since California has no money to enforce anything anyways?

[KA-BAR]

How about you just move the businesses to a friendlier state and then ignore all laws about airsoft guns since California has no money to enforce anything anyways?

this...and if the state you live in hops on board....move to a state that does not, or get a new hobby....there are thousands to choose from.

if your life ends when airsoft ends, then that is darwins theory in effect and you should not be living/breathing the same air as me. go point a stick/object/replica at a cop please.

[code789]

i personally think that the issue is a 13 year old holding a airsoft gun when the legal age limit of buying one is 18

[code789]

no offence to those under age people

[Juicemachine]

i personally think that the issue is a 13 year old holding a airsoft gun when the legal age limit of buying one is 18

Yup.

[shakespeare]

None taken, although sometimes I feel like younger people are sometimes pointed at as the cause of things that are not entirely our faults.
My airsoft team is comprised almost entirely of younger people. Our youngest is 16, I believe. We play airsoft responsibly, in places we are allowed to play. We don't flash our guns around, we don't point them at police officers, and we don't do things that could endanger the lives of anyone.

I believe that this bill is being considered because of several incidents involving people pointing replica firearms at police officers. I believe that most of these incidents have been minors being stupid, but there are probably some adults in there, but if an adult is stupid enough to get shot by a police officer because of an airsoft gun, then nobody would care because he was 18 and legally could fend for himself.

I am tired of our country's recent habits of legislating based on small, isolated incidents. I believe that lawmakers often look at incidents that are scary, and make laws which the populace sometimes agrees with, because of the fear of that situation happening again . . . take the Patriot Act, for example. We often make bad decisions because of fear and hasty judgement.

Sure, there are ways that these events could be prevented-perhaps minors with airsoft guns only being allowed to have them on designated fields or perhaps colorful airsoft guns for minors only. But the idiotic actions of a few should not affect those who are responsible in their actions.

[Matt]

I haven't sent in the letter yet because I'm writing my own. I think they may have focused on the wrong issue. Airsoft guns are not toys and should not be classified as toys. This is the problem. Irresponsible parents buy Airsoft replicas for their irresponsible kids. Now obviously retailers don't want to cut into 50% of their revenue by cutting out all of the kids - but from my non-retailer perspective, the kids are the problem here. Adults who brandish replicas and get shot are a much quieter blip on the news. Nobody makes as big a deal over it.

The problem is that many retailers have painted themselves into a corner. They market to kids, and they have become reliant on the revenue from those kid's parents. Historically some retailers in the US have even had "Toys" in their business name.

It seems like California could benefit from having laws that prohibit anyone under 18 from even owning Airsoft replicas, or operating them without supervision. That would make some parents think twice about buying them, but it would also effect any California retailer's bottom line.

[SovereignGoose]

The squeaky wheel get the oil, and your fighting against the same mothers out there that get the city to install 10 "speed humps" on their road because a couple people speed by and her children play basketball in the street once a year.

Its a feel good bill that effects a small minority (airsofters) but makes legislation look like their here to protect the people.

I still dont understand why they continue to ignore the fact that the kid pointed a weapon at a police officer.

Ill paint my entire gun hazard orange and aim it at you on a sunny day/ or at night and if the first you think when its aimed at your face is "Hmm I wonder what color that is..." then Ill be damn impressed, because the rest of the population would think "HOLLY SHIT A GUN I NEED TO DEFEND MYSELF".

What happens when law enforcement injure another minor because of his stupid decision, after the bill has passed? Or even worse an officer is harmed in the line of duty because he thought the weapon was painted and hesitated when someone produced a firearm. In the article with the said 13 year-old the officer assumed the child was an adult, what about the officer that assumes an adult is a child?

Bottom line: its the same old argument "guns dont kill people, people kill people" Painting airsoft weapons wont stop the morons from aiming them at law enforcement.

[LettuceHead]

In the end, airsoft guns are officially classified as "Toys" by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for importation purposes. Main reason is for ease of import and cheaper tariffs. Most replicas even say 'Airsoft Toy' on the box. California has toy gun laws that require them looking like clown guns. Arguments that all one has to do is paint a real firearm cartoonish colors are invalid. The government doesn't care.

My theory is to change airsoft replica's HTS code to "Sporting Goods", same as paintball markers. Increased costs but doesn't apply to 'toy' issues.

[Cap n pickles]

In the end, airsoft guns are officially classified as "Toys" by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for importation purposes. Main reason is for ease of import and cheaper tariffs. Most replicas even say 'Airsoft Toy' on the box. California has toy gun laws that require them looking like clown guns. Arguments that all one has to do is paint a real firearm cartoonish colors are invalid. The government doesn't care.

My theory is to change airsoft replica's HTS code to "Sporting Goods", same as paintball markers. Increased costs but doesn't apply to 'toy' issues.

Sporting Rifle? Sporting Replicas?

[Riddick]

Instead of just doing a petition, why doesn't someone do a POV video with painted airsoft replicas and send them that

[wake.joe]

Cops will shoot you for holding a garden hose, or for carving a piece of wood.

Do you really think it matters if your gun is a funny color?

Civil Disobedience.