Report to Mayor and City Council
Monday, June 08, 2015
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 16-068 OF THE CITY OF CARSON TO SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BILL 1673 (AB 1673) FIREARMS: UNFINISHED FRAME OR RECEIVER, AN ACT TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF A FIREARM (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
AB 1673 will improve public safety while still protecting the rights of authorized gun owners. It will expand the definition of a "firearm" to close a loophole that currently allows convicted felons and the mentally ill to legally purchase firearm elements that are used to assemble firearms without any restrictions or a background check.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 16-068 expressing "SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF CARSON FOR AB 1673 FIREARMS: UNFINISHED FRAME AND RECEIVER".
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III. ALTERNATIVES
Take another action that the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Existing Federal law, the Gun Control Act of 1968, defines what constitutes a "firearm". "The term "firearm" means (A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; (B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon; (C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or (D) any destructive device." A frame or lower receiver is the part of a firearm that houses the operating parts allowing it to fire.
A lower receiver or frame is found in every firearm, from pistols to semi-automatic rifles. Semi-automatic rifles can have two receivers (upper and lower), but only the lower receiver requires a serial number. Pistols require serial numbers on the receiver referred to as a "frame" because it makes up a large portion of the weapon. For rifles, the receiver is one piece of many.
If a receiver is made only to partial-completion, it is considered a "blank", "casting" or "machined body" form. It can be sold to convicted felons and the mentally ill onli...
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