Nightmare: Cali. Dems Propose Gun Owner Restraining Orders, Confiscation Warrant

Assembly Bill 1014 would allow anyone to target gun owners for loss of Second Amendment rights and firearm confiscation.

Stop California Assembly Bill 1014
Stop California Assembly Bill 1014
California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees
California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees

Sacramento, CA –-(Ammoland.com)- Democratic California Assembly Members Nancy Skinner (Berkeley) and Das Williams (Santa Barbara) have introduced Assembly Bill 1014, a bill that would allow anyone to ask a court for a “Gun Violence Restraining Order” and “firearms seizure warrant” against California gun owners.

The measure was immediately and viciously opposed by the gun rights group California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees (CAL-FFL), which called the bill “a wanton violation of nearly every guarantee of liberty contained in the Bill of Rights.”

Under the proposed law, California gun owners could face a loss of their Second Amendment gun rights and confiscation of their firearms without prior warning. The proposed law allows the government up to two weeks following the issuance of a restraining order to set a hearing in which the subject of the order could argue for the reinstatement of their Second Amendment rights and return of any firearms seized.

AB 1014 is a gun control nightmare,” said Brandon Combs, president of CAL-FFL. “California Democrats are taking their radical anti-gun agenda to an entirely new and horrifying level.” Combs, who debated the bill with Assemblymember Williams and UCLA Law Professor Adam Winkler on the Los Angeles-based radio talk show “Which Way, LA?”, said that the bill “guts due process” and the presumption of innocence.

“The subject of a restraining order and confiscation warrant may not even know they have been accused until there’s a SWAT team at their door.”

According to the bill’s text, courts would be required to issue a restraining order if a person–who doesn’t even have to know the target of the order–submits a form saying that a gun owner “poses a significant risk of personal injury to himself, herself, or others by owning or possessing” guns.

Remarked CAL-FFL’s Combs, “In a fit of circular logic, AB 1014 makes the very exercise of Constitutional rights, like purchasing guns or knives, evidence supporting the issuance of a restraining order that would strip a person of those same rights. It’s absolutely insane.”

But the restraining orders aren’t the only problem with the bill, according to CAL-FFL. Assembly Bill 1014 would also mandate that courts order a “firearms seizure warrant” following a restraining order, forcing police and local law enforcement to “seize any firearms in the possession of the named person…from any place, or from any person in whose possession the firearm may be.”

CAL-FFL warned that the broad language of the seizure warrant could lead not only to midnight “no-knock” raids against the subject of the restraining order–who may not even know that their gun rights have been stripped away and that they are now a “prohibited person”–but also the homes of their friends and family, and even places of employment.

Combs believes that the bill’s language is ripe for abuse. “Cyber-bullies like Shannon Watts and her ‘Moms Demand Action’ extremists could simply go on Facebook or Twitter, grab a photo of you and your gun, and slap it on a restraining order request. There’s no criminal or civil penalty for filing false or vexatious reports and no provision for the recovery of damages and someone’s loss of rights. AB 1014 would make it open season on California gun owners.”

Combs continued, “On mere hearsay, an anti-gun judge could instigate a life-ending terror campaign against a gun owner and everyone who knows them.”

In a press release, Assemblymember Williams said that AB 1014 will “help prevent mass killings like the tragic Isla Vista rampage near UC Santa Barbara.” However, the Washington Post reported on Friday that “a half-dozen sheriff’s deputies knocked on Elliot Rodger’s door last month in response to concerns raised by his mother about his well-being,” but the “deputies did not check [California’s gun registration] database.”

Ironically, in spite of Elliot Rodger murdering three people with knives, AB 1014 targets only firearms.

“Even were AB 1014 law at the time of Rodger’s Hollywood-inspired killing spree, it simply wouldn’t have stopped the Isla Vista tragedy from happening,” noted Combs. “It doesn’t require the seizure of knives like those Rodger used to kill many of his victims, and budget-strapped local law enforcement agencies aren’t going to be able to dedicate all of their resources to the Legislature’s newest feel-good policy.”

State Sen. Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) followed the introduction of the restraining order legislation with a new push for his own gun control proposal, Senate Bill 53, that would mandate ammunition sales and purchase permits and ammunition registration.

“We will fight AB 1014 and SB 53 until they’re tossed in the scrap heap of history,” said Combs. “CAL-FFL will do whatever it takes to kill these bills.”

People can send a letter opposing AB 1014 to members of the Legislature at firearmspolicy.org/act/california/ab1014.

California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees (CAL-FFL) is California’s most tenacious and complete advocacy group for Second Amendment and related economic rights. CAL-FFL’s thousands of members include firearm dealers, training professionals, shooting ranges, collectors, consumers, and others who participate in the firearms ecosystem. CAL-FFL advances the interests of its members and the general public through lobbying, litigation, education, and public outreach.

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Thom Paine

Guilty until proven innocent should be their new slogan!

Rob Davis

Drinking the WATER in California must cause massive loss of brain cells and insanity.

Can we please just kick them out of the United States already?!

keithj

This crazy bill empowers every gun-hating hoplaphobe to turn in every law-abiding citizen to the federal/state/local authorities at the slightest twist of a demented mind. Nazi brown shirts re-visited.

Paul

Glad I never voted for any of those knuckleheads, none of them know their heads from a pile of dog crap. Not one of the ones that are pushing these so called bills knows what they are doing, either that or they just do not care about the people. There are just too many that Are following the plans of their master (lucifer) and are going to do what they want to the people regardless of what the people say. These knuckleheads want the people disarmed but if you look they go around with how much ARMED security because they… Read more »

HappyClinger

Citizens could petition the court for a “reinstatement of their rights?” WHAT???

Russell

If this the kind of repressive state you want to live in VOTE DEMOCRAT … enjoy ! ….. thats why I moved out ASAP when I could….. Move to Oregon at least we have a few right minded folks looking out for our rights ( O.F.F. ) and keeping the few boneheads we have under control …… this is just UNBELIEVABLE !

D. Murphy

How many gun owners in CA have voted for these democrats that are now coming after them?? You live there and vote for these people you deserve the government you have.