(ConservativeJournal.org) – After multiple attempts by California lawmakers in recent years to increase the tax on gun and ammo sales, they have proposed a finalized bill to Governor Gavin Newsom. According to multiple reports, in order to generate funding for gun violence prevention, the bill proposes taxing firearms and ammunition.
Assembly Bill 28, sponsored by a Democrat from Woodland Hills, Jesse Gabriel, seeks to impose an 11% increase in tax on the sale of guns and ammunition by retailers and manufacturers.
This tax model, resembling a similar tax law that is designed for wildlife conservation, is anticipated to generate approximately $160 million annually. The revenue will be allocated to support violence intervention initiatives, enhancements to school safety, and law enforcement activities aimed at confiscating firearms from individuals prohibited from owning them.
Assembly member Jesse Gabriel and several of his colleagues were part of a lengthy debate in the Senate before the bill was narrowly approved by Democrats, despite objections from Republicans. Critics argued that businesses would simply transfer the added costs to customers, imposing an unjust burden on sports shooters and hunters who frequently purchase ammunition. Following a final vote in the Assembly, Jesse Gabriel received a flood of congratulatory hugs, illustrating the significance of the effect this will have on firearm owners in the state.
Assembly member Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat whose husband leads the gun control organization Giffords, expressed her emotions, saying, it has been a “journey”.
This victory is especially significant for its proponents, given the numerous past unsuccessful endeavors to introduce sales or excise taxes on firearms and ammunition. Such measures require a two-thirds majority for approval, making them particularly challenging to pass. Some of these proposals never advanced beyond the initial stages.
Governor Newsom has consistently advocated for the adoption of stricter gun safety laws in California. He will have to make a decision on the bill soon, since the deadline is October 14 for him to either sign or veto it.
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